Hello Robin!!

As a baker of cookies I was very excited to hear about the new cookie shop Hello Robin that would be opening in Seattle on 19th, a block that is quickly gaining fame with the addition of Linda Derschangs Newest restaurant Tallulaha and the beautifully curated grocery Cone & Steiner. Hello Robin is a beautiful partnership between Robin Wehl Martin and Molly from the well know Molly Moon's Ice Cream. 

Mr. Ramon and I stopped in one night to check out this spot and get our cookie on. I was blown away by the design of the shop. The use of robins egg blue and white were clean and sophisticated. The space - though small feels full of light and air with the high ceiling and open plan. I was so excited to see a huge work table/bar with chairs around it allowing for classes, demos and getting up close and personal to the cookie making process. I think one of the most beautiful parts of the store is the blue and white tile. 

Now the cookies. I am a bit of a cookie snob and know just what I like. Mr. Ramon chose the Habanero Orange Chocolate and I decided on a classic chocolate chip and a ginger cookie. I really liked the domed shape of the cookies knowing I would find it chewy in the center and just crispy enough around the edges. Honestly I was prepared to be a bit let down as I usually am when buying others cookies - but these were magical in every way. I honestly can't say I have had a better cookie anywhere in the city. 

The customer service was also fantastic. The employee working, Sophie was excited about her wares and we swapped cookie stories. It was so nice to have a freindly face working in this beautiful shop. 

If you are out and about I recommend you stop in at Hello Robin and pick up a couple of these amazing cookies to snack on. 

Kitchen Gadget Review #1

Until this last year I called small apartments my home. Within these tiny walls was a even tinier kitchen in which I had to make the so called "magic" happen. Even I was amazed that I could churn out pounds and pounds of dog biscuits for the store in this small space or throw dinner parties for 14 guests. 

One of the most challenging aspects of small kitchens is the storage space. I love kitchen gadgets. I could hoard if space and money allowed. But something I learned from the amazing Mr Alton Brown is that there should be no "unitaskers" in the kitchen. I could not agree more. These tools are marketed so well you are sure you need them - all of them. Garlic presses, melon ballers, egg poachers, toasters, apple corers and egg slicer all designed to do one job and take up room in your kitchen for the 390 days a year you do not use them. 

One of the kitchen appliances I love is the KitchenAid Stand Mixer. I loved my orange KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer almost to death. It was taking a huge beating turning out batch after batch of dog biscuits for the store. To its rescue came the even awesomer KitchenAid Professional 600 Series Stand Mixer. I know what you are saying - how does a space challenged kitchen have room for 2 stand mixers. I love my smaller orange mixer so much and he is so handy for quick smaller jobs. And his bigger brother does all the heavy lifting for the dog biscuits. Each of them are used weekly and I think that qualifies for keeping them both. 

Now if you have a stand mixer you know that they are the so much more than a mixer. The attachements are endless and a wonderful way to add in other "appliances" without really doing so. From ice cream maker and pasta roller to meat grinder and juicer - pretty amazing. 

One of my favorite attachments is the beater blade - mine is by New Metro Design. Why didn't I think of this. Turning the mixer off to scrape down batter is tedious. This tool does the job for you. There are several makers of these types of beaters and KitchenAid actually makes their own now. 

For about $24 you have a beater blade that will let you multi task while it does an amazing job of mixing you batters. Best for thinner batters like cake and pancake types. The classis metal beater is still best for stiffer dough like cookies.  If you don't have one and make a good amount of batter type recipes in your mixer then run out and get yourself one. 

Fresh Flours - Ballard

Had to run over to the end of the world this morning - Ballard, so I thought I would check out the new bakery I saw next to Bastille a couple of weeks ago.

Fresh Flours is a cute little shop - utilitarian and basic. Just the way I like it. They have all their pastries laid out on the counter as you walk in behind a glass sneeze guard. They have a cold case with juice and sandwiches in it also. When you look back into the space you can see all the ovens and baking racks - a sort of exposed kitchen. (In fact when I saw this place - I said - "why not me - I want this")

I could not decide what to take away with me so I grabbed a couple of basic items to test them out. Upon talking with the girl behind the counter I learned that they are owned by a Japanese couple who love the art of French pastry infused with subtle Japanese flavors. This explained the azuki bean brioche and green tea cookies.

I picked up this apple turnover. I am a huge fan of pocket type pies and the turnover is my favorite flakey favorite. This version had a thicker than expected exterior with more of a chew than a crisp bite. The apple was nice - perhaps a little sweet. A very pretty pastry.

The other two sweet items I grabbed were a chocolate chip and a peanut butter cookie. I like to try out the basics at new places to see if they can win me over with them. Getting the basics right is so important I think.

The cookies were soft in the middle and chewy around the edges. Overall tasty - the chocolate chip may have been a touch to sweet - but the peanut butter was spot on.

I also picked up a sandwich for my lunch. I love egg salad - my mom makes the perfect egg salad. We are purists - so only egg, mayo and salt/pepper. Always on white bread. Sometimes on white toast for breakfast. The girl at Fresh Flours said their egg salad was a bit dry - but had no mustard - a must. So I decided to give it a whirl. The bread was a bit dry - but that may have been on purpose so over the day it would not get soggy. Other than needing a bit more salt it was not bad. I must say - it did not stick around for a photo - sorry!!

Next time I am in Ballard I will stop in and give one of their Japanese inspired pastries a whirl.

Liberty of London

In a previous life I was a make up artist. And even though I have every shade I could ever need - I continue to hunt down make up items for my collection. MAC always has fun collaborations that result in great colors, fun packaging and me spending to much!

Recently I went into my local MAC store and was super surprised that they had done a collection with Liberty of London.

Liberty & Co. has been around since the later 1800's. What started as a shop of housewares has turned into a continued rotation of home, apperal, and cool accessories.

The packaging for these cosmetics is covered inside and out with little floral prints and birds - signatures of Liberty of London and the crisp white background is oh such a nice contrast.

I could not contain myself. I actually walked into MAC for a practical every day item - which they were out of. So I walked out with the most bold and beautiful blush for amazing disco cheeks, a very mauve lipstick and a eyeshadow that is grey and green at the same time.

And even though I have been using these items for a few weeks - I cannot yet toss out the packaging. It has me spellbound!

the joys of laundry

Growing up we did not have a lot of money. When you don't have a lot you tend to take real good care of what you do have. I learned from a young age how to do laundry - from simple sorting and washing of clothes to the details of ironing a mens shirt piece by piece. These chores became weekend rituals and I found peace in them then and still do today.

Laundry is one of my favorite household chores. It is one of the most gratifying tasks that leaves you with warm piles of folded clothes and towels smelling fresh. Taking a pile of wrinkled clothes - ironing and hanging them seems to restore order and say - we are ready to take on the world.

Call me crazy! But I love it!

I also love products - so I am always on the hunt for new, exciting products that can help me get my clothes clean as well as make as little impact as possible on the earth.

This new laundry soap by Method is so amazing - the tiny little bottle so easy to have around and if you are schlepping to a laundry mat this is o-so portable. Very, very concentrated only using 4 pups for an entire load of laundry. My clothes came out clean and smelling fresh. If you have not tried it I say give it a whirl.