Kara P.

  • Get Outside: Crafting

    I grew up in Highland Park, a neighborhood that knocks on the door of White Center, in West Seattle. It was a childhood spent outside. I had a wonderful sloping hill in my front yard that was perfect for rolling down; the grass was soft and filled with clover and daises. I’d spend a lot… Continue reading

  • Get Outside for a Picnic!

    For my mom’s 60th birthday this year we wandered through antique shops, reminiscing on things from our mutual childhoods — a copper pot she used to cook with would catch my attention, a ceramic doll would remind her of my great grandmother. These things, while old, held memories that could be recalled instantly, giving them… Continue reading

  • Bus Reads for June

    The commute from hell? Hardly. Here are some titles that have turned my long bus commute into reading heaven. Gold Fame Citrus by Claire Vaye Watkins introduces us to Ray and Luz. In the not so distant future, this couple lives in a water hungry southern California town. Living on their own in an abandoned… Continue reading

  • Bus Reads for May

    The commute from hell? Hardly. Here are some titles that have turned my long bus commute into reading heaven. The Unraveling of Mercy Louis by Keija Parssinen; when you are the star of a basketball team in a small town all eyes are on you, that’s the case for Mercy Louis. However successful she may… Continue reading

  • Bus Reads for April

    First off, I moved to Tacoma. I gotta say I never thought I’d move from Seattle, but life happens and between rent increases and a boy I made the plunge to the sassy sister to the south! One of the many highlights of my move has actually been my bus commute. That’s not something you… Continue reading

  • Get Your Brunch On!

    I’m a huge fan of brunch because it combines some of my favorite things; sleeping in, booze before noon, and breakfast food! Plus everyone loves brunch too, so it’s a wonderful opportunity to booze with friends in a relaxing environment. Since my late night days are long behind me, I can brunch and have the… Continue reading

  • Happy Hour at Home

    The older I get the more I like staying at home, especially when it comes to imbibing a few alcoholic beverages. At home I’m safe and comfortable and I’m not breaking the bank. I got to thinking how I could make a happy hour at home more inviting to my partner and friends. Here are a… Continue reading

  • Food And Dating

    One of the best things about the past year with my boyfriend Adam has been discovering our mutual love of food. We’ve searched for new restaurants to try together, showed off our favorite diehards, and have both created kitchen perfection for each other. Here are a few of our favorite dishes: Continue reading

  • A Fall Of Pie

    One of my favorite things about the arrival of fall is getting back into the kitchen to bake. Cookies, cakes, breads, and most importantly PIE! I found three lovely pie books from the library and decided to focus on one recipe from each book located in their fall sections. Now the one thing I did… Continue reading

  • Inkspiration

    Tattoos may not be a favorite among some, but this city is filled with the art of it. As I help patrons check out books or talk to my fellow co-workers, I see a rose on a shoulder or a pair of wings on a forearm. I know each one of those tells a story,… Continue reading

  • Following My Nose

    I spent a weekend in Tacoma enjoying the Taste of Tacoma at Point Defiance Park, which involved wine and beer tastings, fried oysters and a BBQ pork bun. It was a wonderful little food adventure. To be honest though, I have been spending more and more weekends off in Tacoma gallivanting with my boyfriend and… Continue reading

  • Get Your Banh Mi On

    I love banh mi! Those amazing Vietnamese sandwiches have occupied many coffee shop visits with friends. However, finding time to go get my banh mi fix can be somewhat of a pain. But then…The Banh Mi Handbook: Recipes for Crazy-delicious Vietnamese Sandwiches by Andrea Quynhgiao Nguyen crossed my path one day at work and when… Continue reading

  • Girls on the Run

    Last year I took part in a program called Girls on the Run. I volunteered to be a Running Buddy for Highland Park Elementary School, located a block from where I grew up. As a Running Buddy you get partnered with a girl to run a practice 5K, then run the Girls on the Run… Continue reading

  • Books and Their Blogs

    I started following Elsie Larson’s blog A Beautiful Mess in February of 2009. I also followed her sister’s blog Food Coma until she officially moved over to A Beautiful Mess and together those two have created DIY wonderment. With their amazing sense of style they create a vibrant and project-filled adventure with each new post.… Continue reading

  • Hidden Parks In West Seattle…and Beyond

    I recently read a magazine article about hidden parks in Seattle and it made me think about those little gems that I grew up with in West Seattle. Westcrest Park is a stone’s throw away from where I grew up. It has one of the most amazing views of Downtown Seattle I have seen, besides the deck… Continue reading

  • Take a Hike

    My first hike was at Camp Waskowitz in fifth grade. I was terrified my asthmatic lungs were going to slow me down, but although I wasn’t the fastest hiker, I made it! It would be another five years though before I would attempt another hike, this time Steamboat Rock. I was a teenager and probably… Continue reading

  • The Art of Singledom

    “I’ve been single for a while and I have to say it’s going very well. Like…it’s working out. I think I’m the one.” – Emily Heller After a ten year hiatus from the dating world, I finally started playing the game of dating two years ago and I got asked out for the first time… Continue reading

  • I Want To Be A Real Princess

    Little girls and their princess fascinations…it’s bound to happen. Your daughter or niece becomes completely obsessed with those blinged-out, spoiled, little darlings and you’re stuck with the monotony of it all. Well, thanks to a mom who decided she wanted her daughter to know about real princesses with a bit more gusto and drive than… Continue reading