Meet Seattle's Kari Gran Skincare (+ Giveaway!)

I was invited by Carilyn of Magnolia PR to the studio loft that's home to Kari Gran Skincare, to meet the ladies behind the line and get a first-hand look at the products. Lisa & Kari started Kari Gran Skincare in 2011, after a fateful holiday lunch that would mark the beginning of a new venture. A self-professed beauty junkie with years of experimenting with different skincare products and homemade concoctions (partly for her health), Kari had made a habit of gifting products she'd made herself as holiday gift to dear friends and family. At this lunch, it was Lisa who finally convinced her to pursue her true passions and start her very own line. 

From the MIRON glass bottles to the long list of what's not in the products, Kari & Lisa have gone to great lengths to create an elegant yet affordable line that's good for your skin. The pair regularly try other skincare lines to see what else is out there, and to ensure that their own products don't indulge in the materials that could prove harmful to you down the line.

Kari Gran products are hand-poured in small batches using the finest available natural, organic, wild-harvested & non-GMO ingredients.

I personally was so inspired to meet another couple of ladies who are chasing their dreams here in the beautiful Emerald City, and helping others to live a healthier life in one facet of life where harmful chemicals and ingredients are often hastily overlooked. Everything in Kari Gran's product line is fresh, handmade and under $100 (most under $50!) 

I'm giving away a Kari Gran travel set  (seen above w/cleansing oil, essential serum & hydrating tonic; value $35) and two Lip Whips (one naked & one tinted; value $15 each) to one lucky reader! I've been obsessed with both of their Lip Whips since this party. I've abandoned all of my other lip glosses in favor of them. They smell insanely delicious and keep my lips moisturized for hours without feeling too oily or heavy. You're in for a real treat!

To enter to win, just:

1) Leave a comment below OR

2) Follow Fresh Jess &  Kari Gran on Pinterest and re-pin the giveaway. 

I'll pull a winner this Friday, August 24th at 5:00p.m. 

Good luck!

Seattle Style: Capitol Hill Block Party 2012

A couple of weeks ago, I was part of a team tweeting for the Capitol Hill Block Party. Since I wasn't the only one live tweeting from the music festival, I decided to focus on capturing the various stylings of CHBP-goers. Capitol Hill is one of the most vibrant neighborhoods in the city, and the fashion at CHBP represented all that and more. Check out these stylish Seattleites!

It's me! Roxy military jacket (cute print one here)/ Kelly Wearstler tank (similar) / thrifted Levi's cutoff shorts (similar) / Senso spiked booties

Fresh Style: Bainbridge Rummage Sale finds

One Saturday in June, my mom, aunt, cousin & I decided to take a last-minute trip to Bainbridge Island for a rummage sale I'd read about on Yay Today.  Little did I know we were walking in on the largest rummage sale on the island, held yearly by the Rotary group there. It took over an entire middle school grounds. From the parking lots to the playgrounds to a few classrooms, Bainbridge Rotary packed the place full of housewares, furniture, clothing, jewelry, sporting equipment and yes - boats and cars.

This were just two massive rooms of many! Below are the books/toys/office room and the bulk clothing section. Mountains upon mountains of clothes!

We spent a few hours there but didn't get too crazy. In fact, we all felt totally unprepared for the onslaught and chaos of the Bainbridge Rotary Rummage Sale. Next time, we're bringing several big cars, sturdy shoes, a water bottle and a strategy!

My total haul for the morning came out to $8! A never-been-worn dress, handmade knit beanie, a few issues of National Geographic & four pairs of old Levi's.

I turned them all into cutoff shorts, and have been wearing them all summer!

Catch the next Bainbridge Island Rotary Auction & Rummage Sale - June 29, 2013.

An Evening at the Gates Foundation Visitor Center

Last week, I hung out with other Seattle bloggers, social media friends and the hospitality set for an evening at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center. The Foundation is of course based in Seattle where the Gates family lives, and has been doing work for various efforts and causes throughout the world. Only recently have they opened up to the public about what it is they actually do and the strides they've made in global health and education. The Visitor Center opened next to Seattle Center and the Space Needle in February, and this evening was a chance for a few of us to get lost in its inspiring stories and interactive exhibits.

The Visitor Center is split into four main galleries that feature: exhibits on the work the Gates Foundation supports to give all people the chance to live healthy, productive lives; a showcase of innovations and progress on some of the world's toughest challenges (like malaria and proper education); and inspiration & information to help guests take action in our own unique way.

I had a blast learning and creating in the Visitor Center. Here are a few of my favorite shots from the night, with a full album on the Fresh Jess Facebook page.

The design and architecture elements throughout the Visitor Center are insanely awesome. This quote  of Melinda Gates' greets you when you walk in.

So many inspirational quotes throughout the VC.

There we are in the VC's photo guestbook!

Easily the coolest lanyard I've ever received, and I've been to a lot of events & conferences!

This wouldn't be right without an outfit shot. 

Trina Turk for Banana Republic top (similar BR top here)/ Vintage mandala print high-waist shorts from Everybody's Buying Vintage (similar here) / Nine West strappy heels (similar here)

Thanks for a fun night!

Fresh Style: Sell Your Sole Consignment

Last month, I hosted a sweet summer shopping party at Sell Your Sole consignment boutique in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood. I had so much fun with my mom, sister and girlfriends chatting it up over champagne & bites. Natalia and her fiance Brent were the most gracious hosts. 

Here are a few pics of the night, plus the outfit I went home with that night and a $50 gift certificate giveaway below!

Tucked behind the Cherry St. Coffee location on 1st Ave. & Blanchard/Lenora, Sell Your Sole is an adorable loft full of designer consignment treasures. 

Natalia has an amazing eye for beautiful designer pieces. She opened Sell Your Sole to fuse her love of smart shopping with finding fabulous new friends in the city.

Natalia and I styled a few outfits for summer and fall with SYS's current inventory. As with all consignment shopping, you should come back often to see the latest!

I loved these earrings and this Tory Burch stacked ring set!

For the event, I wore a vintage Halston dress with Dolce & Gabbana gilded leaf heels. Disco queen :)

I love mixing prints!

At the top of the stairs to the loft, you'll see a beautiful wall of shoes and a giant mirror. A woman's dream loft!

I was totally eyeing this Dries Van Noten belted top. 

I went home with this ensemble! Blush pink shirt with black trim and BCBG faux leather high-waisted shorts.

I also couldn't resist this lambswool sweater. It's so soft and comfy! I'll be wearing it all winter.

City Target Seattle Opens Sunday 7/29! Preview Pics

I cannot even tell you how excited urban Seattleites are to have a Target in the heart of downtown!

City Target Seattle is one of three City Targets opening this month, with two more in Chicago and L.A. I attended a TargetStyle dinner last week where I was told the City Target concept would be much more catered to the commuter consumer. I guess in my head I pictured smaller, compacted, and less of everything. While there is definitely less bulk, lifestyle merchandising and large items, City Target still has most everything that other Targets offer. City Target Seattle's got its food & beverage (plus liquor); men's, women's and children's apparel and accessories; home decor & necessities, electronics; even bikes!

I went to the preview party tonight, and Target really pulled out all the stops for a great celebration! Local artists were set up throughout the store with live painting; there were sangria & cocktail demonstrations, live bands & a DJ spinning, and yummy treats from Boka & Cupcake Royale. Thanks to the responses on my Instagram & personal Facebook, I wanted to get this quick post up for all of you so you can get a glimpse of what to expect. As usual, you can see all of my pics from tonight's preview on the Fresh Jess Facebook page.

City Target Seattle opens this Sunday, July 29th. You can bet I'll be there often!

Hi, Seattle!

What a nice welcome! Balloons & local artist work

Painting downstairs from more local artists.

Follow Target Seattle on Twitter!

Three floors of amazingness!

Target did not cut any corners with this soiree!

Smaller merchandise points means getting more creative with creating vignettes!

Just some mini-golf with the Target dog

Custom Target cupcakes from Cupcake Royale!

Campfire OK playing tunes for the crowd up on the third floor.

Don't worry, everyone. Still plenty of toilet paper stocked!

Probably the only time I'll get to shop a Target with a sangria in hand!

See you again soon!

Welcome to downtown Seattle, Target!

Seattle: Goodwill South Lake Union Preview Pics!

Just a little less than a week left until the highly-anticipated opening of Goodwill in South Lake Union! I got a preview tour on Friday, and I can say that you're all in for a treat packed into not a lot of square footage.  Remember, this Goodwill is much smaller than normal, at ~4800 sq. ft., compared to a normal Goodwill at 20k sq. ft! This means that the selection at this location is obviously smaller, and carefully curated to appeal to the residents and workers in the neighborhood. 

Goodwill SLU features men's, women's and children's apparel and shoes, housewares and decor, and accessories. The team is very careful about how they merchandise every square foot of the store, and I'm sure they'll be churning through product quickly! I have a few pics here, but you can take a look at my full photo set on the Fresh Jess Facebook page.

Seattle, looking forward to shopping with you when Goodwill SLU opens next Thursday, July 26th at 10:00a.m.!

Welcome to the neighborhood, Goodwill!

I loved how they used space above & between racks to merchandise housewares in colorblocked sets.

A nicely curated set of home accessories. Love all the shag & knit carpeting!

More great selection to cater to the SLU customer.

The dressing rooms are massive! Sweet wooden doors too.

Thanks Katherine & Goodwill for providing a tour for Tina (glam.spoon) & I!

A Taste of Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

Most of you Nordstrom fans have already shopped the early access sale or are in line as I speak for the 2012 Anniversary Sale. Nordstrom Flagship Via C's Sanda Belaire invited a few bloggers to come in and get a tour of her stylist favorites from the Sale, after a sampling of Nordstrom Grill's new summer small plates menu (served from 4:00p.m. to close.)

It's so nice to have another central Downtown place to go to for happy hour with good food for great prices. My personal favorites were the crab cakes, vegetable chips and the wings. I'd have more food pics for you but the bloggers were hungry. :)

After happy hour, Sanda led us on a tour through the Early Access tents in the store for a firsthand look at featured pieces which are sure to go like hotcakes when the Sale opens this morning.

I need these Report motorcylcle boots! Perfect for sludging around Seattle fall & winters!

After our store tour, we were whisked off the sales floor and into the land where all the social media  & celebrity styling magic happens! From a born & raised Seattleite who's been around Nordstrom her whole life, it makes me really happy to see the words 'social media' in this classic Nordy font.

In the styling room were all of Sanda's top picks for this year's Sale, from Rebecca Minkoff to Kate Spade to the softest wool scarves handmade in the East Coast:

I want everything on the rack & mannequin!

The beautiful Sanda describing to us how the leather ruched cuff-sleeve detail on this Elizabeth & James shirt is INSANE.

After our styling session, we went home with a swag bag with a couple of extra sweet goodies:

Many thanks once again to Nordstrom for having us!

Photo credit Nordstrom

Fresh Picks: Nordstrom Designer Preview 2012

You saw the party pics, and now here's what you've been waiting for - runway pics from the 2012 Nordstrom Designer Preview!

Designers are taking two spring/summer trends - peplum & mixed prints - right into fall/winter. In addition to layering, there was a lot of mixing patterns and fabrics to breathe new life into classic shapes. Tweed, wool, shearling and other fall/winter staples were accompanied by lamé, silk, bouclé and brocade. Blazers and sportcoats took a more masculine feel with oversized, boxy shapes and very structured lines. These pieces were balanced out with midi & long feminine dresses in silk, satin, lace & chiffon. Though dark colors are standard for fall & winter, these collections show me that charcoal, forest green, navy and bright jewel tones (like Stella McCartney's show-stopping Egyptian blue!) rule this particular season. 

What you see below are my top ten. I was drawn to a lot of the unique shapes along with unexpected fabrics and detailing. Stella was an obvious favorite, but it really was hard to choose from all of the collections. Enjoy!

All photos credit  Vivian Hsu, Team Photogenic

Gucci / velvet brocade strapless peplum dress & python clutch

Donna Karan / Charcoal wool cut-away coat, tissue jersey sleeveless bodysuit blouse & charcoal wool slim-cut trousers

Erdem / Pink & black lace/duchesse embroidered 'Ariel' dress

Lanvin / Green compact wool ruffle-front coat

Jason Wu / Charcoal & camel wool/flannel cropped coat with raglan sleeves; black/nude embroidered lace tee; black bi-stretch wool gabardine pants with side-lace detail; boudreaux 'Daphne' satchel 

Oscar de la Renta / Black sequined dress with sheer sleeves and carwash skirt

Akris / Bottle green wool/leather 'Doyle' jacket, wool sleeveless jacket & wool trousers

Stella McCartney / Navy/ivory two-tone cady racerback gown

Stella McCartney / Egyptian blue wool twill one-button blazer, wool twill straight-leg pants & black faux-fur 'Falabella' small tote

Stella McCartney / Blue lace embroidered long-sleeved dress

Thanks again Nordstrom & Vivian at Team Photogenic!

Fresh Style: Blue Nile at the Nordstrom Designer Preview

Blue Nile's been so kind as to let me take this beautiful new necklace out on the town, and it's been a part of my outfit almost every day for the past two weeks. The Chalcedony & Aquamarine necklace was one of two major pieces shaping my outfit for Nordstrom's Designer Preview, held last week at Pier 91 in Seattle and benefiting the Seattle Art Museum.

The cushion-shaped chalcedony gemstone is bezel-set in gold vermeil with faceted aquamarine  gemstones along the chain.

You'll see the other piece shaping my outfit in a bit :)

Nordstrom and the Seattle Art Museum have partnered to put on the Designer Preview for many years, and have consistently sold out the venue, packing it full of SAM supporters, Nordstrom shoppers and other fashion & art enthusiasts. This year's Designer Preview proceeds will benefit SAM's upcoming exhibit, Elles: Women Artists from the Centre Pompidou, Paris. Elles will open in October through January 13th, 2013. The exhibit will feature all women artists, with the iconic Frida Kahlo and more artist works on display.

Here are a few of my iPhone shots from the Designer Preview party, boutique and pre-runway. Check in tomorrow when I'll post my favorite runway looks from the show!

Such a stylish crowd!

A perfect Seattle day. View from Pier 91.

With my gorgeous friends Patrick of Golazo & Jane of Seattleite

Amazing looks from Alaia and Valentino in the entryway to the show

The crowd anxiously awaiting the start of the show!

Post-show runway! Blue Nile Chalcedony & Aquamarine necklace & white agate vermeil drop earrings, LA Made double v-neck tee, vintage cross-body bag & heels, Forever 21 high-waisted trousers (similar here)

When summer finally arrives in Seattle, it's truly unmatched!

Thank you Nordstrom & Blue Nile! Runway faves tomorrow.

Fresh Jess loves Report Shoes!

I'm back! The sun is FINALLY shining here in Seattle and everyone is blissfully enjoying summer in the Pacific Northwest. Report Shoes was kind enough to supply my summer wardrobe with two new sandal styles, and a sweet gift card for me to share with all of you! Details on my gift card giveaway after the pics.

The Hayek sandal is already in heavy rotation in my summer wardrobe. I'd been searching for new, flat sandals that were loaded with style but still comfortable to walk in at the beach, in the park or to a poolside barbecue with my family. I've worn them with dresses and jeans, but this time paired them with some thrifted Levi's I turned into cutoff shorts and one of my favorite tanks.

Obey tank / TOMS sunnies / thrifted Levi's turned DIY cutoffs / vintage Dior belt /  Report Shoes Hayek sandal

The Ray is a spring collection carry-over but will be my go-to shoe for all of the summer weddings. It's a rich coral color, and the floral platform & heel are just the sweetest detail. It's on sale for around $50 right now!

Roxy jacket / In God We Trust sunnies / Lush Clothing tiered tank / thrifted Levi's turned DIY cutoffs (different pair!) / Report Shoes Ray platform sandal

I got four pairs of old Levi's at this sweet rummage sale that I'm saving for a later blog post. I kind of love them all. They fit so perfectly!

Happy Independence Day!

I am a huge fan of hip-hop. Whether you know much or little about the music and culture, you know it's incredibly difficult to be as honest, transparent and open as Frank Ocean was last night in sharing his sexuality with the world via his Tumblr. I've talked about and shared Frank's music here several times over the last two years, and when I saw this I was just so...proud. So happy to be a fan of this man who not only found the courage to do this, but to write about it in a way that seemed so natural. So easy. Most of all, so beautifully. I am sure there is already a maelstrom of emotion and opinion among his fan base and hip-hop in general. I'm just excited to see how this declaration of freedom will add a new dimension to his depth in voice, lyrics and production for himself and other artists. 

This is definitely one of the coolest things I have ever seen a popular artist do.

Happy Independence Day to you, Frank.

Today is special in another way to me. It's my angel baby Meatball's birthday today. He would have been seven today. He is probably in heaven enjoying a buffet of raw bones and doggie cookies. I love you with all of my heart, Meaty pie. Your brother Spike couldn't be any more different and yet so much the same. You both make me whole. I love you.

To all of you lovely readers, have a safe 4th of July if you are celebrating it. I wish you lots of love and fun today with friends, family, BBQ, fireworks and sunshine!

3 Rules for Social Media & a Happy Birthday

Everyone has their own reasons for being present and active in social media. For many, it's a source of entertainment. For others, it's also a distraction from their everyday routine. For me, social media has been an integral force in my life for almost five years. I took what I learned in high school & college, plus my internships & service jobs, and combined it with the quickly-evolving world of social media marketing. Thanks to this blog and Twitter, I have had countless opportunities come my way. I've met amazing people I'd never have the chance to meet in real life, gone to places and events I'd never know about otherwise, and had exposure in front of brands in a way I'd never be able to before. I have been extremely fortunate to forge the next steps in my career from social media, and I'm finding a lot of gratification in helping neighborhoods, small businesses and big brands alike realize their potential.

All that said, I operate with only three rules when it comes to social media (for myself, on my personal accounts.) These are the things I tell people when they ask me about best practices or how to be active on social. Though they're simple to understand, these rules can be some of the hardest to stick to. But just like anything else that's worth it, sticking to these rules takes focus, determination and hard work. I am far from perfect, but staying true to these rules has helped me pursue the opportunities and connections that've come my way.

#1: Don't be negative.

Open up Twitter or Facebook and scroll through your friends' latest updates. More than likely, there is a fair amount of complaining and criticism about something or someone in their life. Yes, it's easy and can be comforting to air your frustrations out on social media. Remember that anyone in the entire world can see that post and that's what they use to paint a first impression of you. Nobody wants to associate with the Negative Nancys out there. Would you want to be friends with you if you read through your last week's worth of status updates?

#2: Stay positive

Think of this as the flip side of my first rule. With this rule, I mean to focus on talking about the stuff you like. What makes you happy? What are you grateful for right now? Who's done something nice for you lately? Is there a new book/movie/song/etc. you're into? For some reason, people are more likely to tell you what they don't like or aren't into. It feels like a lot more work to stay positive, but it sure beats whining and complaining all the time. Oh, and do this without ulterior motives or in an ingenuine way. What you think might be positive may come across as a backhanded compliment, fake or even offensive.

#3: Keep your relationships to yourself

In conversation, I say this rule as "Never indulge about your close friends, dating/relationships & family." This might be more of a personal preference for me, but I just don't like to share too much about those closest to me. Most of my loved ones are barely on social media as it is! If you care about someone, it's good to respect their attitudes and perspective about social media. If my boyfriend and I have an argument, fine. Y'all don't need to be part of it. If there's conflict with a friend or family member, that's to be resolved offline. Hardly anything is sacred anymore, and it's nice to have those parts of my life kept private.

Why am I sharing these with you? I hope you find these useful if you're wondering how to create your personal brand and reputation through social media. Another reason is because I don't normally talk about my boyfriend, but today is his birthday and I want to wish him a happy day!

Thank you for always telling it like it is, for saying things I don't want to hear but need to, and for always challenging me to be better. I might have done some cool things in life, but I'm just trying to keep up with you :) Love you. Happy birthday!

Fresh Style: A gla.MAR.ous Night Out

The sweethearts at gla.MAR.ous sent me the Meadow chain headband from their new Pink Label collection, and I decided to take it out for a night out on the city!

gla.MAR.ous is a fun, playful, exhilarating fashion line created by designer Mary Beirne.  I met Mary and her dear friend Nubia at IFB con in 2011 and we've kept in touch ever since. 

Mary gets her inspiration anywhere from classic movies to the pinup and bohemian eras. She also patented the gla.MAR.ous zipper headband in 2009, which can be worn in at least 7 different ways & are comfortable (i.e. prevents headaches!)

gla.MAR.ous is made for the chic, versatile girl, that not only turns heads but breaks necks while she's at it. As Mary puts it, "No one covers classy - fierce - fresh like us!" I'm down with that!

My Meadow headband came the same day as another sweet gift. Sneak preview here, and style post coming soon! :)

AlixRose and I drove out to Tacoma to celebrate our girl Nicole's birthday. This picture doesn't do justice to the birthday girl's dress & tan. She looked radiant!

Afterwards, we headed back to Seattle to dance the night away at Trashed, the monthly electro party at Baltic Room. This month's Trashed featured two of my favorite DJs, Four Color Zack & Tigerbeat. 

This is Brian Oh, a regular feature on Fresh Jess & official photographer for Trashed.

The Meadow stuck with me all night long with no problems. It was easy to adjust but didn't fall off my head, even with wearing it on sleek, long hair. I love the chain style, too. It fits perfectly with almost everything in my closet right now, so you'll probably see this a lot this summer. 

You can find gla.MAR.ous and the Meadow headband ($26) online, Twitter, and Facebook. Thanks ladies!

Thrift Shopping Tips from a Value Village Fashion Ambassador

Hi, I'm Jess, and I'm a thrift-a-holic!

Five years ago, you couldn't pay me to go thrift shopping alone. Even though some of those closest to me are lifelong fans, I got easily overwhelmed every time I set foot into a thrift store. Thanks to the rise of fashion blogging, I figured out a way to organize my thoughts and get my mind in the right place for my thrifting outings. Over time, I've mixed thrifted pieces into more and more of my wardrobe, and now, it's a mainstay in my "West Coast fresh" style.

Value Village reached out to me in the spring about becoming one of their Fashion Ambassadors. Even though I'd only been to one in the area, I was excited to see what I could find at other Value Villages around the region. I've made my way to almost all of them in the Puget Sound.

Value Village is great, because they partner with a non-profit close to each store and support that versus a big national one. So even though VV may not be Seattle-grown, they make sure to plant roots in each community they're part of. That means a lot to me.

So what are my tips for shopping smart at your favorite thrift store? 

Know what you want.

I made the choice to use this spring & summer trend reports as a guide to the things I wanted to buy at Value Village this season. I purposefully looked for lots of bright colors, prints and patterns, flowy shirts and denim that could be a DIY project for summer cutoffs.

Favor organic fibers.

I picked this tip up from Tina at GlamSpoon (check out her tips here.) Sticking to cotton, silk and wool will help you weed out the clothes without the staying power of natural fabrics. These are easier to clean and repair if needed.

Don't discriminate!

Not your size? Not a problem. The beauty of thrift shopping is the hunt for great finds. That means being as open-minded as possible. Look in size racks that aren't normally your sizes. You never know what might actually be a great fit - or a fun DIY project!

Try everything on.

This one's a no-brainer, but if you're going to be shopping for all kinds of sizes, it helps to try everything on before you decide what to buy. You'll get the best idea of how to style pieces, what needs to be cleaned, and if there are any stains, rips or other defects that are beyond repair. Oh yeah - make sure all of your zippers and buttons work properly, and repair them immediately if not.

Take risks.

When I'm thrift shopping, I love to try trends and pieces I'd never otherwise try. I even brought home a pair of sheer palazzo pants for the summer! It could be a sleeper hit for your wardrobe, and if it's not, at least you won't have the guilt of having spent cheese on it.

Know when to go.

Ask the store when they get their shipments and how often they restock. Check the website or sign up for their newsletter to get an idea of their sales schedules. What's better than a $4.99 Escada top? One that's half-off of that!

Take notes. 

Hopefully you will be thrift shopping more than once if you're reading these. Take notes of what your experience is like. Which stores do you like and why? What do you tend to gravitate towards when you're buying thrifted pieces? I know now that my favorite Value Village is the Ballard/Crown Hill location, and that I tend to buy more knitwear and button-downs when I'm thrift shopping. This way, you can be more conscious of how your style is evolving and incorporate thrifted pieces that much more easily.

Recognize this? It's my LuckyFABB outfit!

I recently took my girl & fellow thrifty fashion blogger, AlixRose with me to Value Village's Memorial Day sale. EVERYTHING you can wear was half-off! Needless to say, we went crazy at the Ballard store and came out with bags full of new pieces.

My Memorial Day Sale haul included: tons of knitwear and brand-names like: Pendleton, Escada, Calvin Klein, J.Crew, American Eagle Outfitters & its now-defunct brand Martin + Osa & more.

All for $56!

This particular cardigan has seen a lot of play lately. The striped cardi goes with everything and is light enough, but warm enough for Seattle grey days.

Thanks so much to Value Village for their generous offer to be a VV Fashion Ambassador! What an easy & simple way to update my wardrobe for such a great deal.

Vodka & More at the Glass Distillery tasting room

On Friday, I was invited in for a sneak preview of the Glass Distillery located next to Showbox down in SoDo. Fellow food & lifestyle journalists & bloggers and I enjoyed a tour of the city's newest distillery & tasting room, while lunching on the finest appetizers from El Gaucho and sampling Glass Distillery's flagship spirit, Glass Vodka. What a fun way to start the weekend!

The sign is in place for Glass Distillery's public opening today, Monday, June 11th!

Desserts, caprese & carpaccio by El Gaucho

Co-founder Ian McNeil & famous wine aficionado Mark Oldman told us the story of Glass Vodka & how Glass Distillery came to be. A partnership between McNeil and Adrian Higginbotham, Glass Distillery is a tasting room that's home to their Glass Vodka. Under the careful eye of architect Kate Cudney, the Distillery repurposed a lot of the building's original materials, including a 16' tall wood & glass door separating the tasting room from the distillery itself. Art by McNeil himself adorns the walls, and blown glass art - the inspiration for the spirit & distillery's name - decorate the space.

McNeil (r) & Mark Oldman (l)

Learning about the copper manufacturing completed in Germany and custom-made for the Distillery.

McNeil & team have put so much thoughtful care into each detail of their product. The Glass Vodka bottle was made for keepsake, and the decanter is specially shaped to prevent spillage like others!

Glass Vodka itself is 80 proof/ 40% ABV and is available via 750ml bottle.

The original building's wood & glass door. Architect Kate Cudney of Hinge Studio restored much of the building's materials into the Distillery.

Copper accents in the distillery room

McNeil & Oldman treat us to a Glass Mule, a new take on the Moscow variety

Custom-made copper stills!

Enjoying lunch with Cassandra LaValle of Coco+Kelley

Thanks so much for having me!

Glass Distillery is open to the public today. Glass Vodka is available at El Gaucho and other fine restaurants in the city.

Snapshots: A Very Fresh Jess Birthday

Celebrated my birthday last month and wanted to share a few snapshots. I'd been so busy making my transition to full-time freelancing, I didn't have much time to plan much of anything. It turned out just as amazing as every other birthday! I am so blessed and grateful for my amazing family and friends who made it such a special weekend :)

Kicked off my birthday with a three-hour coffee date catching up with my dear Nadine of Girls' Guide Media!

Enjoyed lunch at the beautiful Gates Foundation campus

A tower of blankets, full of stories at the Gates Foundation

Off to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants in the city, Kona Kitchen. Best fried rice I've ever had!

My grandparents! Wearing thrifted dress from Value Village & vintage Dior belt

Mom & sister

A few highlights from my birthday

Continuing the party with some of my favorite people: Carrie, Matthew, Nicole & not pictured: Carissa, Jen, Alix & Dana

With my ladies at Grim's

Why do these pretty ladies let me hang with them? At Moe Bar dancing the night away

Thanks for celebrating with me!

Bulldog Haven NW's Adoptable Bulldogs

Bulldog Haven NW has a record number of foster bullies waiting for their "fur-ever" home! As regular Fresh Jess readers know, I am a big fan of english bulldogs with one bulldog angel in the sky and one adopted from Bulldog Haven NW. Look at those faces! I'm helping BHNW spread the word in hopes of finding these sweetie pies a new home.

Bob

Daisy

Tucker / Friar Tuck

Lola

Mosey

A list of available dogs can be found at Bulldog Haven NW's adoption page.  If you're interested in adopting one of these bullies, please look over their information carefully and fill out an  application at BulldogHavenNW.org.

Not wanting to adopt, but still want to help out? 

The Pet Adoption Network via BHNW is looking for donation's to help cover Popeye's medical expenses. Popeye was surrendered to PAN with breathing problems following his neuter surgery. See Popeye's ChipIn page for more information.

For the most up-to-date info on BHNW, check their Facebook page!

Want to talk more about adopting a bulldog from someone who's been there? Email me at jess(at)freshjess.com!

The Parallax Project by Brian Oh

My friend & photographer Brian Oh recently took the leap to doing freelance photography full-time, with studio space and everything! This is his Parallax Project. He's sending out disposable cameras to people in 47 countries and 4 states. Their only task is to use this camera to document their lives. However and whatever they capture is up to them. It's awesome to see what's come back so far. I'm looking forward to seeing more come in as the project progresses.

Remember what it was like to take pictures with disposable cameras?

Check out more Parallax Project on the BrianPhotoh Facebook page, and look out for his Kickstarter campaign to support the Parallax Project soon!