Seattle Style: Bianca Casimes

Believe it or not, there are a lot of style mavens roaming the streets of the Emerald City. Seattle Style is a new weekly feature on FreshJess, giving you a look at some of the city's most stylish - who they are, what they do, and some of the very best out of their closet!

Our very first feature is on the incredibly stylish Bianca Casimes:

Amercian Apparel black top / Thrifted shorts / Bass oxfords / Thrifted clutch / DIY Necklace / Nixon watch 

What do you do?

By profession I'm an Interactive Designer at the social media agency, Banyan Branch. Side ventures include arts, blogging, graphic design and even front end development (when I'm feeling super nerdy).

Forever 21 hat / Urban Outfitters shirt / Zara skirt & shoes / Vintage purse (from Mom!)

How would you describe your style?

Generally on trend despite being scummy by nature. I'm definitely inspired by mixing styles as well as anything seventies-esque.

H&M skirt / Zara top / Thrifted purse / Shoes from a street shop in NYC / Gap belt

What are your favorite shops?

If I could own anything from one store it would be Aritzia. Other favorite store would be Zara, when I lived in Brooklyn it was my weekend destination.

What's your favorite thing about Seattle?

It's the only place I know that I can see the ocean, mountains, and still be in a city. I'm also a creative nerd and being surrounded by people who love tech and love art is the perfect catalyst to own growth. I can't imagine growing up anywhere else.

Thanks Bianca!

Find her at 7Pine.com

Love & Meatball

I lost my baby a year ago today.

A friend of mine recently asked if anyone believed in love anymore. I said, "I do." I absolutely do. Love is an overwhelming, unconditional, unyielding motivation to care and be there for someone. Simply put, they somehow have the power to make you do things for them even if you don't want to! Most people experience this when they have their first human child. Mine just happened to come in the form of the most handsome bulldog of all time:

Love is the memories I'll hold onto forever, so that even if Meatball isn't physically here with me, I can go to them when I'm tired, having a bad day or just want to channel comfort, peace and warmth. I'll remember the tickle of his fur when I snuggled him, the sound of his snoring and the smell he protruded whenever he needed a bath. It's like corn chips and soy sauce I swear. These are things that stay with me every moment of my life. This is love.

Love is also the sound of my friends and family's voices when I called them in a blind shock that day. I didn't know what to do or what to say, and I'm sure they didn't either. But I needed them and they sat with me, sharing their own loss, words of comfort, or just silence while I sobbed and tried to process what was happening. Love is being there for me while we hibernated from the world that week, doing what we could to cope.

Finally, love is the drive that Meatball fuels within me. His spirit is laced in everything I do. When I am totally stressed out, doing too many things and find it difficult to focus, I know I am never alone. It might sound weird, but I just remember how I used to come home each day to his loving, often sleepy face. The look in his eyes and the feeling of coming home to that big ol' face is like a sea of calm to me. Everything is better already.

I tell people that we probably won't get another bulldog until we have a house. Since his passing, I've devoted most of my philanthropic efforts to animal safety and rights. I donate to ASPCA monthly, volunteer with Bullldog Haven NW & Cascade Bulldog Rescue, and contribute my time, money and energy to PAWS on a regular basis (including participating in PAWSwalk, a tradition started when Meaty was 3.)

More than anything, love is knowing that Meatball's passing will never be something to get over. Rather, Meatball's spirit, light and amazing presence courses through my veins and will illuminate the rest of my life.

xo

Jess

DJ Scene's The Mint Rewind

We started off our summer with The Mint. Now we're finishing it off with The Mint Rewind!

Another hour-long party in your ears from DJ Scene!

Download The Mint Rewind here.

Fresh Snapshots: Tina Kirkpatrick, Curator, Gilt City Seattle

Fresh Snapshots is a feature at FreshJess.com highlighting some of the best and brightest talents that I've encountered here in Seattle and beyond. In a few brief questions, you'll find out a little more about what makes these fabulous people tick - what lights the fire that inspires them to pursue their passions.

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Do you ever meet someone & understand immediately why you're drawn to them? That's how I felt upon meeting Tina Kirkpatrick, curator for Gilt City Seattle. Tina's got the entrepreneurial spirit and passion for life that I admire in a lot of women, from CRAVE's Melody Biringer and Darcey Howard to Queen Rania and more. I had the chance to interview Tina over a morning coffee date at Bauhaus, and really got to know the lady behind the already popular Gilt City Seattle.

A native of the Seattle area, Tina moved home from Chicago just a few weeks before the Gilt Groupe tapped her to head up their Seattle initiative. After a successful stint in the television industry as well as in directing business at a small floral shop in the Windy City, something was calling for Kirkpatrick to move home. Her work in turning the floral shop into a destination boutique with faithful clientele led to a partnership for the boutique with Gilt City Chicago, where she offered floral design classes with champagne & chocolates at a special package price. Her success as a boutique partner for Gilt City Chicago would lead to the offer to head up Gilt City Seattle upon her move home. Talk about things coming full circle!

I can't think of anyone who is more perfect for this role than Tina. She truly lives and breathes the Gilt City motto of "Love your city more." Having been on the business side of partnering with Gilt City, she carefully curates businesses who resonate with that motto, and features a fantastic diversity of Seattle establishments and experiences.

Tina works with each business to craft a unique Gilt City Seattle deal that's highly coveted but accessible to Gilt members. Each experience offer on Gilt City is the result of Tina's ability to showcase the best of a business while thinking outside of the box. It's really wonderful to see that Gilt City puts a lot of time and care into making sure each business they partner with will benefit from being included.

Kirkpatrick hit the ground running with Gilt City Seattle, assembling offers and experiences from some of Seattle's finest establishments. She launched the initiative in the city with lots of style, creating a Parisian garden pre-launch soiree with Chef Thierry Rautureau for Seattle influencers and a big launch party concert with Best Coast. She promises even more amazing offers from Gilt City Seattle in the weeks to come!

As far as her own favorite Seattle experiences, she says:

"Waking up, going for a jog to the top of Capitol Hill then back down to Pike Place Market. Watching the vendors unpack and set up their goods for the day, then having a coffee at Victor Steinbrueck Park while watching the sun come up over West Seattle."

and

"Spending time at my family's home (which is also part llama farm!) Drinking wine, savoring the mossy grass and the views of the Cascades."

and finally:

"The foam on the coffee at Uptown Espresso!"

I'd call that Northwest Urban Elegance at its finest :) I'm really looking forward to Tina's work in helping the Seattle small business community thrive through Gilt City.

Thanks for your time Tina!

Channeling Kelly Kapowski w/TwinSistr vintage

One of the greatest things about vintage is being able to channel style icons of eras past. There's a whole universe of celebrities and world leaders to look up to, and being able to pull style inspiration from them is just one of their many influences!

I picked up this sweet dress from TwinSistr vintage's Maria Martinez at the Comet Tavern benefit flea market a few weeks ago. It fits perfectly - which can be hard to come by as a petite lady! The halter top buttons at the neck and the skirt bellows out into a beautiful flower shape.

I think of Saved by the Bell's Kelly Kapowski or even Cha-Cha from Grease (RIP!) whenever I wear it. This time, I took this pretty frock out for a vintage shopping date with my girl Anisa.

Meet me at The Max?

Fresh Eats: RN74 Winemaker Dinner & more

RN74 Seattle is one of the newest editions to Seattle's restaurants scene and is already making a splash among food and wine aficionados alike. Named after Route National 74, the major thoroughfare passing through the heart of France’s Burgundy region, RN74 is the brainchild of Restaurateur & Chef Michael Mina and James Beard Award winning author & Wine Director Rajat Parr. RN74 Seattle features an expansive wine list, created by Parr, showcasing the best expressions of Burgundy and Northwest producers perfectly paired with the Burgundy-inspired menu of seasonal, fresh dishes.

With cellar access to more than 10,000 bottles, RN74’s wine list features international selections from Burgundy and throughout Europe to regional finds from the Pacific Northwest. The wine bar and restaurant showcases roughly 80 wines on wall-mounted menu boards, the “Market Board” and the “Last Bottle” list, which highlight special wine offerings and indicate via changing lights or flipping plaques when they are no longer available.

The Market Board

Getting a tour of the wine cellar with Alix, Annie, Taryn & Jaymee

RN74 features various winemakers in its popular and frequently sold-out "Behind the Bottle" winemaker dinners, as well as giving winemakers a break during harvest with the late October addition of “Behind the Barley,” a dinner dedicated to brews. Check out the upcoming dinners below:

AUGUST 22 – BEHIND THE BOTTLE

JIM CLENDENEN – AU BON CLIMAT WINERY – 7 PM

SEPTEMBER 12 – BEHIND THE BOTTLE

WASHINGTON VS. NAPA CABS – 7 PM

SEPTEMBER 26 - BEHIND THE BOTTLE

BEN SMITH – CADENCE – 7 PM

OCTOBER 10 – BEHIND THE BOTTLE

BOB BETZ– BETZ FAMILY WINES – 7 PM

OCTOBER 25 – BEHIND THE BARLEY

CHARLES & ROSEANNE FINKLE – PIKE BREWERY – 7 PM

Sweet corn & dungeness crab bisque w/bacon-wrapped fingerling potato & piquillo peppers

Maitake mushroom tempura w/green onion mousseline & Yuzu salt

Chef Michael Mina's signature dish: ahi tuna tartare w/scotch bonnet pepper, pine nuts, sesame oil, quail egg & jalapeno

Yummy oysters

Mad Hatcher Coq Au Vin: red wine braised leg w/egg noodles & lardon

Grilled Idaho rainbow trout w/glazed pork belly, puy lentils & peaches

I cannot even talk about how delicious these hand-cut beignets are.

w/salted caramel & Macallan 12 butterscotch

RN74 Seattle

1433 4th Ave, Seattle 98101

Lounge & bar: Monday through Friday 11:30 am to close, Saturday and Sunday 5 pm to close Valet parking is available from 5:30 to 11 pm Sunday through Thursday and from 5:30 pm to Midnight on Friday and Saturdays for a rate of $9.

206-456-7474

Follow RN74 Seattle on Twitter & Facebook

Short Little Sailor

Sometimes you just wanna wear shorts to work. I'm the marketing director at an agency, so the dress code isn't as strict as most places. Still, I think there's something to be said about professionalism and being taken seriously. When I wanted to wear a pair of shorts to the office, I paired it with a vintage blazer, gold jewelry and my favorite booties for a breezy but not too casual look.

These photos were taken at SPUN Sustainable Collective.

Sara thought I looked like a sailor! Thanks

Vintage Brooks Brothers blazer

L.A. Made double vneck tee

Khaki shorts gifted by my sister

Deena & Ozzy tan booties

Layered necklaces

Leopard belt

Vintage bracelets

Thanks Anisa for taking these pics!

Fresh Eats: Lil Woody's opens next week

Man I love to eat. I also love a good, late night out! King of the (Capitol) Hill Marcus Lalario is bringing two of my favorite things together in Lil Woody's, the classic burger & shake joint opening up next week. Get ready for a simple & straightforward menu of burgers, sandwiches, veggie selections, Molly Moon's milkshakes, bottled & fountain sodas and more! All of the burger patties are molded by hand, most of the ingredients are locally sourced, and everything is made to order.

I sampled a couple of burgers tonight and got a preview of the new spot. It's next to Machiavelli and The Baltic Room on Pine St. Marcus plans to have Lil Woody's open Sunday - Thursday 11:00 am - 11:00p.m. and Friday-Saturday 11:00a.m. - 3:00a.m., so it's the perfect spot to walk to after a night out on the Hill.

Thanks for having me!

Me too dude. Me. Too.

Everything on the menu is under $10!

Illin & grillin

King of the Hill Marcus Lalario & I

I LOVE PAPAS FRITAS

Big Woody's

3/4 lb. patty with Hills bacon, Tillamook cheddar, chopped onions, pickles, ketchup & mayo

Burger monster

New Mexican

Lil Woody's burger topped with Hatch green chiles & Lil Woody's own queso sauce

The Fig & The Pig!

Boat St. pickled figs, Hills bacon and crumbled gorgonzola cheese. I believe there are also unicorn hairs and angel wings mixed in. HEAVEN

This was my favorite. Nom on nom on nom

Upstairs mezzanine

Love the retro Coca-Cola fridge

Thumbs up!

SPUN black tank

Banana Republic olive cargo shorts

Tan booties

Vintage bag & sunnies from Sustalux

Follow Lil Woody's on Facebook & Twitter

Wedding Guest Steez

Summer means weddings every weekend! Choosing the perfect outfit for attending a wedding is always a careful, mindful choice to make. You want to look fancy, comfortable and stylish all while not upstaging the bride on her big day. The formula of knee-length dress and dependable heels always works for me.

La Rousse green & black heart-shaped corset dress

Steven black peep-toe heels

Sustalux vintage bag

In God We Trust necklace

Vintage bracelets from Sustalux & Urban Xchange

Bulldog ring from Moksha

I keep it light on the makeup in the summer time too: bronzer, neutral eyes & rosy lips:

Gym Jones & the Hauteness: Michi

Whenever I work out, I refer to it as a visit to "Gym Jones." Why? Mostly so people don't know where it is I get them situps right, but also inspired by the workout regimen of the muscled men of "300."

It's pretty funny calling working out "Gym Jones." Some people think it's a play on words I made on rapper Jim Jones (ballin!), while others have taken to referring to it in the same way. One of my lovely friends Carrie even started a blog called "Gym Jones & the Hotness." I believe there is now an actual Gym Jones franchise, but I don't work out there :)

Anyway, here's some hotness to keep you cool and stylish while lighting the hearts in your very own Gym Jones afire. Michi via Oak & High Snobette:

Images via Michi & High Snobette. Photo credit Gian Carlo Drueco

Nike CEO Mark Parker's office

If this was my office, I'd be motivated to run the largest sportswear company in the world too

via The Inspiration

Block Party Babe

I bought this chiffon maxi skirt in March after eyeing it all over the fashion blogs and L.A. style vixens, but quite frankly there hasn't been a perfect occasion to wear the thing in Seattle.

Until Block Party!

In the sea of cutoff denim, sundresses, plaid, & hippie chic, it just felt like the right way to stand out :)

Vintage Levi's denim jacket

Dior vintage belt

SPUN organic tank

Nine West strappy sandals

Vintage bag & necklace

Showing Up For Life - Bill Gates Sr.

Simply put, this book impacts me so much I will likely read it at least once a year for years to come. Bill Gates Sr. is probably most famous for being the father of one of the richest men in the world, but he is also a former UW student, Boy Scout, lawyer, law firm partner, and current father, grandfather, husband and all-around proud family man. He now helps his son and daughter-in-law carefully choose where their money and efforts go as one of the leaders at the helm of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

In Showing Up for Life, Mr. Gates dilutes a lifetime of changing our community locally and globally into one extremely simple message: show up.

Bill Gates Sr. is so full of love, humility and perseverance. I cannot help but be inspired by him every time I hear or read about him, and most strongly when I read this book. Showing Up for Life is filled with Gates Sr.'s many life experiences, from summer trips with his family and others to visits to Africa to various speeches he's given around the world. His love for family and tradition shine throughout - it's clear that his children, wife Mimi, former wife Mary and his grandchildren are the driving force in all that he does.

The stories told in Showing Up for Life are short but incredibly impactful. Gates Sr. implores life lessons on everything from: instilling tradition in your children; responsibility to community, neighbors & family; and the importance of a lifelong education (stay learning!) All of these lessons tie back to his overarching message: for everything in life, nothing can be until you show up.

Show up for opportunities that are given you.

Show up for your family.

Show up by educating yourself always.

Show up for your local, national and global community.

Show up for your beliefs, your opinions and your rights.

Show up for life!

Check out this interview with Mr. Gates Sr on Showing Up for Life. It's an hour long, but totally worth it :)

Fresh Eats: Revel

My boyfriend treated me to Revel, a gem in the Fremont neighborhood for my birthday dinner and it was nothing short of awesome.

Seif Chirchi & Rachel Yang, the husband & wife chef team who also own Joule in Wallingford, crafted Revel's distinct menu inspired by Korean cuisine with a modern twist. Their partners in Revel & adjacent bar Quoin, Chad Dale, Bryce Philips & Ira Gerlich, designed the restaurant with simple but comfortable metal, glass & wood.

BF and I sat at the chef's table so we could watch the team do their thing. Seif even came over & chatted with us for a bit and treated me to a couple of birthday treats! You can really tell that Seif and Rachel put as much heart into Revel as they do for any dinner party I imagine they'd have at home. The team was so welcoming and Seif coming over to chat with us really put the icing on my birthday meal. Thanks!

Dark & stormy!

Revel

403 N 36th St, Seattle 98103

Reservations: 206.547.2040 / info@revelseattle.com

Follow Revel on Facebook / Twitter

Summer hours:

Brunch: 10:00am - 2:00pm

Lunch: 11:00am - 2:00pm

Dinner: 5:00pm - close

Quoin

Happy hour: 4:00 - 6:00pm / $1 off wells, beers & wine glasses; $7 rotating selection of cocktails

All Beyonce Everything

Beyonce is everywhere and then some for her album and other various projects! Your hustle is so admirable...

Behind the scenes & shots from her "4" album photoshoot in Paris via StyleCaster:

Complex Mag's Aug/Sept issue cover & gallery:

I pre-ordered "4" after watching this

mobile video

Jay-Z took of his wife backstage at American Idol. He's so proud of her, and she of him. SWOON

Happy Birthday, Moksha!

Sometimes you meet people and you just want them to succeed. You have seen many of my inspirations covered here on Fresh Jess, and one of those I'm most supportive of especially. Moksha Clothing on the Ave in the University District has held it down for nine years, celebrating their anniversary last weekend. It's difficult for many small businesses to survive a couple of years, yet Moksha has stood strong throughout a recession and more.

I am incredibly humbled and honored to have the Moksha team (Elvia, Aleph et. al.) support me - keeping me stylish from my days as a brokeass college student to my life now. It has been a pleasure growing up with you, Moksha. To many more!

Shop Moksha now through Friday, July 22 and enjoy 30% off most everything in the store.

RSVP on Facebook

Here are some of my favorite outfits from Moksha over the last couple of years:

Dress & earrings from Moksha - HollyHood

Skirt from Moksha - SXSW

Dress & earrings from Moksha - illin on the Hill

Dress from Moksha - SAM Remix

Our event together in 2009!

Happy birthday Moksha! Love you!

Follow Moksha on Twitter, Blogger and Facebook

Dream Room

I always told myself that one day I'd have a home complete with a Belle library. As in, the one Beast gave Belle in Beauty and the Beast:

While my dream isn't a reality just yet, I've found a perfect prototype in Karl Lagerfeld's library/studio:

Oh my God. I can't. This is the most amazing room I've ever seen in my life.

I would never leave it!

Are you giving tours, Mr. Lagerfeld? Eh? :)

Lagerfeld images via The Selby

Introducing Fresh Eats: Madison Park Conservatory

Inspired by The New York Times' recent coverage of Seattle's food scene, I'm now sharing my food adventures on FreshJess. I'm not really sure why I never blogged about food before. I sure love to eat and I take tons of meal pics on my phone. However, I don't consider myself a foodie and highly respect those who devote their blogs to food, like my friend Frank (Going for Seconds.) What you'll get from me is perspectives on some great Seattle establishments and savory experiences with amazing people. Hope you enjoy!

Last month, I took my boyfriend to Madison Park Conservatory for his birthday dinner. He and I have been fans of Brian and Cormac since their Tako Truk days on Eastlake in the summer of 2009. We were totally heartbroken when the Truk closed after the season, so it was a delight to hear they were opening the Conservatory in the heart of the Madison Park neighborhood. MPC is decidedly different from Tako Truk of course, but every bit as wonderful. The menu is based on local & seasonal fare, changing often. The ambience is simple but perfect for anything from a birthday dinner date for two to a rousing feast with a big group of friends. Here are a few pics from our meal, which included salmon, sliders and pork chops:

I'm happy to report that Tako Truk lives on at MPC, at least for summer Sundays! You must get down there immediately in the name of coco piggy, tako (Japanese for "octopus") and sweet potato + lentil tacos, and their signature "green drink." 4:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Stylin with Sustalux

I love & appreciate vintage clothes but always had a really hard time shopping for it. Part of it is due to time & energy, but most of all, I just didn't know where to look and what to look for in quality vintage gems. Over the past two years, vintage has taken over my wardrobe thanks to my dear friend Dana, owner of Sustalux.

Basically, Dana's got many girls' dream job. She scours estate and garage sales, thrift stores, consignment shops & more for stunning vintage clothing, accessories, jewelry and furniture. She sends her finds off to photo shoots for Vogue, Travel + Leisure, Louis Vuitton, Anthropologie and the like. I've introduced many of my stylish friends who are now Sustalux regulars as well!

Dana invited me to her studio to play around in her massive closet during our very first conversation. Since then, she has literally added a whole new dimension to my style. While I spend much of my time in comfortable casual wear like Obey, RVCA, Lifetime Collective and H&M, Dana has added a lot of elegance and abstract fun to my wardrobe. Here are a few of my latest pieces from her:

Fringe fab!

Channeling Joan Holloway

Such a unique, fun striped skirt

Shop Sustalux online here. If you're in Seattle, friend Dana on Facebook to look out for her next Closet Candy party!

Happy birthday!

Happy Independence Day everyone!

And happy birthday to my angel baby Meatball. We miss you more than words could ever express <3