sweets + treats in seattle.

macarone pictured above is pistachio from le panier.

Here's an obvious truth... I have a sweet tooth. But not just any sweet tooth, a large ginormous one (or multiple) that causes me to crave for sweet lemon cakes, buttercream frosting and dark chocolate ganache at all times of the day. Some may deem me a cupcake connoisseur as I have previously mentioned my cake to frosting ratio theory. Sharing my favorite Seattle sweet spots will be my gift to you this weekend, and I encourage you to indulge... because life is better when sweet. 

Enjoy!

xoxo

{sweets + treats}

bakery nouveau :: multiple locations (west seattle. capitol hill)

must get: twice baked chocolate croissant or cherry almond pear tart

dahlia bakery :: 2001 4th Ave

must get: coconut cream bite or chocolate butter pecan cookie

le panier :: 1902 Pike Place

must get: macarones (hazelnut, lemon or pistachio), orange friand, or croissant au a l'abricot

fran's chocolates :: multiple locations (downtown seattle. university village. bellevue.)

must get: dark chocolate gray salt caramel

molly moon's :: multiple locations (wallingford. capitol hill. madrona. queen anne.) 

must get: scout mint or balsamic strawberry

cupcake royale :: multiple locations (capitol hill. ballard. madrona. west seattle. bellevue. downtown.)

must get: salted caramel. red velvet. lavender. toasted coconut lime.

top pot :: multiple locations (capitol hill. wedgewood. belltown. queen anne. bellevue. mill creek. south lake union. and more.)

must get: apple fritters. old fashioned's. feather boa. sprinkles.

the confectionery :: 4608 26th Ave NE

must get: everything there... gumdrops are my favorite and their sour grapefruit slices.

And for your own delight, here are snapshots of a few of my favorite local sweets:

twice baked chocolate croissant. bakery nouveau. capitol hill.

lavender cupcake with buttercream frosting. cupcake royale. downtown seattle.

coconut macaroon bite. dahlia bakery. belltown.

scout mint. molly moon's. capitol hill.

pink frosted donut with sprinkles. top pot. belltown.

southern style beignets dusted with powdered sugar. toulouse petit. lower queen anne.

insta mix v. 2

My little cousin celebrated her 6th birthday two weekends ago. Absolutely precious!

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend! Mine was filled with a semi-drizzle (typical Seattle), laughs, great friends and delicious eats, of course. Here a few snippets of the past two weeks featuring a few amazing people in my life. Enjoy!

Discovered my new favorite drink: Grande iced soy chai latte. Filled with sweet goodness and a hint of spice from the chai, it's a delight in the morning.

My favorite flowers are finally in season. Caught a glimpse of the season's first blooms at Whole Foods Market. Gorgeous and bright, the peonies smelled absolutely beautiful.

Had to share a recent rainy day outfit featuring my favorite Michael Kors, bright yellow trench, a royal blue Topshop dress, enamel bangle from J.Crew and leopard flats. 

Ventured with my main squeeze to the movies and caught the 6 pm showing of The Great Gatsby at the Big Picture, a quaint movie theater underneath El Gaucho, where you can get drinks served to you during the show.

Last but certainly not least, celebrated my sorority's Founders' Day with my sweet sisters. Absolutely loved getting to see these beautiful ladies from my Alpha Class! 

What adventures have you been up to?

xoxo

5 Must-Have Summer Beauty Picks

1. Essie 'Neon Collection 2013' | Summer is the season of brights from head to toe. Bling up your nails with a fun shade or two. I'm in love with a hot pink, especially when paired with the healthy glow of a tan... it just makes the nail color pop eve more. Why I choose Essie? Slick and quick-dry.

2. Fresh 'Lotus Youth Preserve' face cream | My must-wear face cream regardless if I'm wearing makeup or not... light weight, age-defying moisturizer for all skin types, this cream is proven to minimize signs of aging and deliver moisture/hydration for up to 24 hours. Paired with an SPF BB cream (like the one suggested below), it's no wonder that Fresh is part of my morning ritual. 

3. Smashbox 'Camera Ready' BB Cream SPF 35 | I've been searching for a foundation/color cream with SPF that doesn't make my skin seem "caked." After using various kinds, I've finally stumbled on this guy and am super happy with the results. Not oily or smeary, it provides a healthy glow, evening out redness and protects my face with SPF 35. I alternate between this little guy and Bobbi Brown's Foundation Stick. 

4. Bobbi Brown Sheer Lip Color | A light glossy look for your pout is always a must during the summer... Heck - having a pinky lip color is necessary year round! Never caught dead with out lip gloss or lipstick, I've been juggling with five types in my bag for the past two months... However, I always end up just using one. Bobbi Brown's  sheer lip color is lightweight and just the right amount of shine. One of my biggest fears - over-glossed lips + wind + unruly hair combo = sticky hair all over. 

5. Shiseido Noursihing Mascara Base | On days when you don't want to goop on a bunch of mascara and let your lashes breathe but still have that curl, slick on Shiseido's nourishing mascara base. By itself or underneath a coat of mascara, it's light and enhances every aspect of your lashes' curl and volume. 

Those are my 5 beauty picks for this summer to ensure a healthy, bright and camera ready glow! 

What are your beauty must-haves this season?

xoxo

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, nor was this sponsored by any of the brands mentioned above. All opinions are my own. 

i got it from my mama.

image via

This weekend, I'm more than excited to be venturing home to sweet 'ole Portland for a lovely Mothers' Day weekend. I'm anticipating amazing homemade Vietnamese food, hours upon hours of shopping and quality tea time with her, my grandma and aunts.

Not just on Mother's Day, but every day, I'm thankful for my dearest mother - a sweet woman with flair for beautiful jewels and good food. Like mother like daughter. :) A love for 70s music, dancing and random cravings for fried chicken wings... I am totally my mother's daughter. My quirky habits... my tendency to speak loudly...  I'm proud to say that I got it all from my mama.

My mother inspires me and encourages me to reach for the stars - and I'm truly thankful and appreciative for all that she does, especially her patience and support. I wouldn't be the person I am today without her. Thank you, mom!

So for today and through this weekend, it's three cheers for Mama Nguyen! Love you and am so happy I get to spend the weekend with you.

top: UW college graduation | bottom: Paris, Summer of 2011

xoxo

a few bites in seattle

As I've quickly learned from my gradually increasing waistline, my best adventures are spent eating some of Seattle's finest grub. From oysters, sushi and fresh crab to handmade pasta, my main squeeze and I have been eating our way through each weekend... and of course, I document all meals via Instagram. He now knows that no plate shall be touched or forked until the perfect photo is snapped, filtered and posted. :)

Visitors from out of town and even friends from the area who are exploring Seattle's gastronomic goodness have been bugging my main squeeze and I for our "favorites" list... which we somehow just didn't have much time to put together... or maybe we couldn't really narrow it down. However, when an opportunity to share a few bites in Seattle with Taylor Sterling, Founder and Creative Director of my favorite online magazine Glitter Guide came up.. it was the final push to put it all in writing. (Hope you have a blast in the Emerald City, Taylor!)

So here it is, for you and your soon-to-be-happy tummies.

Enjoy!

Note to out-of-town guests, this list is categorized by Seattle neighborhoods. In addition to listing the restaurant, I've named my "must-have" bite when trying it out.

ballard.
bastille | 5307 Ballard Avenue NW
Roasted pork belly with figs
walrus and the carpenter | 4743 Ballard Ave NW
A dozen of oysters, fried oysters with cilantro aioli and steak tartare

fremont.
revel | 403 N 36th St.
Roasted duck, smoked tea noodle, pickled raisin, duck crackling and the pork belly with kimchi pancake
paseos | 4225 Fremont Ave N
Caribbean roast sandwich *warning: it's messy, but oh so delicious. The lines get really crowded so call and order ahead. 

capitol hill.
oddfellows cafe | 1525 10th Ave
Everything... I've never had a bad meal here.
la spiga | 1429 12th Avenue
Lasagne Verdi (handmade spinach lasagna with ragu) or the Parpadelle Con Ragu Di Coniglio (parpadelle with braised rabbit ragu)
barrio | 1420 12th Avenue
Tingo de pollo tacos, Guajillo Pork enchiladas and Braised Brisket Quesadilla
plum bistro | 1429 12th Ave
For my vegan friends, here is a mecca of delicious tasties. The best: oyster mushroom fettuccine.
skillet | 1400 East Union Street
Famous for their bacon jam... get the burger loaded with bacon jam, creamy bleu cheese and arugula

south lake union.
brave horse tavern | 310 Terry Avenue North
Handmade pretzels with the pimento cheddar cheese dip. On Sundays, go for their pickle brined fried chicken dinner.
portage bay cafe | 391 Terry Ave North
The most crowded brunch spot but with amazing brioche French toast and scrambles... all made from scratch and local, organic fare. Don't miss out on their infamous toppings bar.

belltown / downtown.
tavolata | 2323 Second Avenue
My first "big date night" spot with the main squeeze for his birthday. Never disappointed.. always leave more than satisfied. Love the smoked fish bruschetta to start, and obsessed with their Gnocchi Alla Romana. Rigatoni is a classic, and exquisite there.
black bottle | 2600 1st Avenue
Seven Spice Shrimp, Blasted Broccoli and Grilled Octopus with Fava Bean Salad. Broccoli has always been downplayed at restaurants... but trust me, they give this green underdog its shining glory moment.
local 360 | 2234 1st Ave (between Bell and Blanchard)
What's not to love? Food sourced within a 360-mile radius from the restaurant - ensuring the freshest ingredients while supporting local farmers and the community. Also, how could you not resist trying their delicious PB&J bons bons.
umi sake house | 2230 First Ave
Hands down... my fav in Seattle. Extra points for swanky-ness and tasty apps. Get a few of their specialty rolls: Samurai Spirit and Street Fighter.. and pair with a Cucumber Daiquiri. For a more traditional sushi spot, visit Shiros (a few blocks up towards 2nd Ave).. the line is long, but oh hey.. the chef was trained by Jiro.
lola | 2000 4th Ave
Kebabs... get the lamb, or for my veggie friends.. the haloumi cheese with fig combo is divine.
serious pie | 316 Virginia
Roasted seasonal mushrooms, truffle cheese pizza or the Yukon gold potato, rosemary, pecorino. Either way, this is like no other pizza experience you'd had before. T. Douglas is the man.
spur | 113 Blanchard Street
Sockeye salmon crostini, Goat cheese Gnudi and the butternut squash dessert... Note: dishes are seasonal... venture and try the recos of the night.
le pichet | 1933 1st Avenue
Can't resist the duck liver terrine... my main squeeze loves the Eufs plats jambon et fromage aka broiled eggs with ham and smothered in Gruyere.
seatown  | 2010 Western Ave
Even Anthony Bourdain couldn't resist this other famous T. Douglas spot... fried egg sandwich with avocado, Beecher's cheese and Dungeness crab.
cafe campagne | 1600 Post Alley
Some say it's a tourist trap being in the heart of Pike's Place Market.. but if you're a local, scout a table early around 9:30 a.m. and enjoy one of my favorite breakfasts: oeufs en meurette - poached eggs with a sauce of pearl onions, bacon and mushrooms in a red wine sauce, foie gras sauce and served with fries.

bellevue.
din tai fung  | 700 Bellevue Way NE #280
With only a few in the US, Seattle is lucky to cater one of the amazing, authentic Taiwanese dumpling houses... and soon to house two locations (Bellevue and University District). Absolutely obsessed with the shrimp and pork shu mai dumplings, but also highly recommend the spicy shrimp and pork wonton soup.


To my Seattleites, which of these are on your must-eat list? 
If you have any other recos, feel free to share in comments below.

xoxo