Admittedly Nordstrom Rack had totally fallen off my radar as a shopping option prior to the new Downtown location opening earlier this year. The old location was just so creepy to shop in that it made the merchandise, however good, less appealing to me. The new Westlake Center spot is clean, bright and less crammed…

As the stormwaters receede, the devastation and aftermath of Sandy continues to challenge the people of New York and New Jersey, who are struggling to stay warm, dry and safe as temperatures plummet along the East Coast. Designer and author, Rosanna Bowles, known for her ability to create a cozy scene with a pretty tabletop…

This weekend, fashionistas and bargain shoppers alike will flock to the Dearborn Goodwill for glam attire, jewelry, accessories and designer handbags galore as part of their 29th Annual Glitter Sale. Goodwill proves that all that glitters is gold, offering all that’s glam for incredibly discounted prices. Shoppers can browse through vintage offerings and designer pieces…

Leather is on-trend big time this fall and Bellevue Collection’s Independent Designer Showcase and EMP’s Worn to Be Wild have reminded us that one of our most prolific and talented Seattle designers, Carole McClellan, has been using leather (and fur) for years, designing stage clothing for many of our homegrown rockers (Heart, Chris Cornell, etc.)…

As we approach the holiday season—when food is plentiful and the spirit of giving is encouraged—consider enriching a few lives by donating some pocket change to the White Center Food Bank for their first ever “Milk Money” drive. Launched on October 20th, this program will help the food bank purchase milk for over 20,000 local…

Believe it or not, despite it’s current badass persona, the leather jacket hasn’t always been a symbol of toughness and unfettered sexuality lingering on the cusp of the underbelly of popular culture. In its new exhibit, “Worn To Be Wild: The Black Leather Jacket”, the EMP traces this classic American icon through its roots as…

Shoppers can count on Essenza in Fremont for exquisite jewelry, refined kids’ stuff and candles, perfume and skincare from the finest lines, including Diptyque, Fresh and now, Kahina Giving Beauty, an organic argan oil-based luxury skincare company that helps protect and support the community from which it originates, the Berber women who run the argan…

Singer Elizabeth Mitchell has been on our radar since 2006, when we heard an NPR interview with her during the release of her album, You Are My Little Bird. We were immediately smitten. It’s hard not to be captivated by the singer (and her band, which includes her husband Daniel Littleton and daughter Storey) whose music…

Jeweler Kimberly Baker, whose work ranges from tough to feminine, trendy to mystical, and has been worn by many a celebrity during her 15 year career, is returning to retail (her flagship Fremont shop closed earlier this year) with a new space near Green Lake. Hurrah for us all! Baker is sharing her new spot,…

Jeweler Cat McCadden (whose Grace Gow line of shoulder-grazing earrings had us swooning when they hit the scene in 2010) is teaming up with business partner, Paul Mendes, on a new exciting retail venture on Capitol Hill called Style Syndicate 206. Part clothing and home goods shop (vintage and new) and part Grace Gow showroom,…

Madison Valley’s River Song is one of our favorite jewelry shops. Not only does owner and jeweler River Burke make the most amazing jewelry from semi-precious stones, she travels the world to find them, adding a worldly cache to everything she creates. Burke returns from her travels with equally amazing, rare and unique gifts and…

If you missed the Hermès Festival of Crafts last February at The Bravern, where a traveling group of artisans set up workshop in the Bravern’s Exhibition Space and blew viewers’ minds with their skilled fine craftsmanship, now’s your chance to see something else amazing from this iconic French design house, this time with a nod…