Kelli Wong Photography

An invite to Sangamam to try their Thali Special

2026-11-05T11:12:04.722-08:00

The Thali Special at Sangamam in Seattle to celebrate Diwali!

I was invited to Sangamam in Seattle for a meal. I brought my husband and we had a memorable and tasty lunch! Sangamam is a restaurant located in Fremont serving authentic South Indian cuisine. Since the festival Diwali is starting November 6th and lasts until the 10th, they currently have a Thali Special.

A Thali is an Indian meal served on one large platter and has a bunch of small dishes. The one we tried featured sixteen items. There were three kinds of rice, garlic Naan (flatbread), a veggie and a plain Naan, three kinds of Curry, Chicken with a spicy sauce, two crispy appetizers, a broth for dipping Naan into, two more kinds of crunchy bread for dipping, and three small desserts. This platter was a lot of food for the two of us, and we left full! We brought home what we didn't finish, so the Thali we tried was enough for four people to enjoy.

We also each tried a cocktail. I had a Chai Martini, and my husband ordered a Mumbai Nights. This was a Passion Fruit Margarita and had a little spice to it. My drink tasted like a Chai Tea, but in a cocktail form. It could have been a little sweeter but was still delicious and paired well with our food.

The desserts were interesting and something we'd never tried. There were two shortbread biscuit balls that were sweet and dense. These are called Nankhatai and you can dip them into the Dahi, a sweet and tart yogurt, on the platter next to them. The third dessert on our thali was a Jalebi, an orange spiral-shaped sweet that was crispy and chewy.

We had so much fun trying all of the items and it was such a unique dining experience. I would recommend it to anyone who loves Indian cuisine or even anyone who'd never tried it before and would like to sample all of the flavors! The only item that was too spicy for me was the sauce served with the chicken. I found the three curries to be just right in terms of spiciness. The flavors were rich and deep, and we enjoyed dipping all of the different Naans and bread and mixing it with the different rice dishes.

Have you ever tried a Thali before? Where is your favorite Indian restaurant in your city?

Thank you to Sangamam for hosting us and for the chance to try this authentic Thali!

Sangamam

473 N 36th St.

Seattle, WA

Dinner at La Palmera for Halloween and Dia De Los Muertos

2026-11-01T13:40:23.519-08:00

The El Altar cocktail at La Palmera to celebrate Day of the Dead! This drink is a Tropical mango-pineapple Margarita and was garnished with a pretty marigold.

On Halloween before we took our sons trick-or-treating, we dined in SLU at La Palmera. The restaurant was decorated for Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Every year they decorate for Christmas and we go every December for their Pop-Up Bar. In other years, they've named it their Christmas Cantina, but either way, they go all out for the holidays with their decor! This was the first time I've seen them decorate for Dia De Los Muertos. They do an awesome job with the holiday decor and it's such a fun time drinking and eating because of the festive vibes. The Dia De Los Muertos also looked amazing, and I took a ton of photos around the restaurant, of course!

They had four Halloween and Dia De Los Muertos cocktails to choose from. I tried an El Altar and my husband and I shared a Witch's Potion. The El Altar was so pretty with the marigold on the rim and was a tropical and fruity margarita that was really tasty. The Witch's Potion was served in a martini glass and was also so pretty. It had a magical shimmer that I loved! And it had Mezcal which is so smokey and delicious to drink, along with blackberry for some fruity and tartness. Both cocktails were so unique and fit the theme perfectly!

I ordered the Quesabirria Tacos with Rice and Beans. I love these kinds of tacos, especially when they're nice and cheesy like these. The shredded beef was tender and savory and tasted even better dipped in the side of consommé broth. Our family had such a fun and tasty dinner, and we loved the Dia De Los Muertos theming!

Check out my post here from last year's visit to La Palmera for their Christmas Pop-Up Bar!

La Palmera

901 Mercer St.

Seattle, WA

Fall and Halloween 2026 Moments

2026-10-31T15:52:32.555-07:00

Fall is here and today is Halloween. I love October because it's my birthday month and because of the gorgeous autumn colors! Decorating my house with little touches of fall, sipping Pumpkin Spice lattes, lighting pumpkin scented candles, taking my boys trick-or-treating, and trying Halloween themed foods are such a fun time!

I bought some really cute fall/Halloween items last month on the Disneystore.com. I bought a bag charm from the Little Words Project with a Mickey ghost and charms that I love! Also, from Disneystore.com I bought a little monorail with pumpkin Minnie ears on top that I have on display in my living room.

Target always has so many good items every season. I found this little Pumpkin Spice Latte candle for just $3! I love how it looks like a small cup of coffee.

At Box Lunch I found a Mickey Pumpkin pin for my pin collection!

Also at Target for just $3 I found this sweet Halloween mug in pastel colors! I've been using this most morning to drink my coffee.

At the Milk Drunk in Beacon Hill Seattle I tried a Halloween soft serve this month. This was Ube Coconut and Pumpkin Mascarpone with a chocolate shell! The flavors were interesting and the color of the Ube Coconut was a pretty, bright purple. I liked the rich chocolate shell!

At BJ's Brewhouse I tried this Autumn Margarita which had Pumpkin Spice and was so tasty!

I love taking fall walks around Seattle. Jefferson Park in Beacon Hill is a good spot for falls colors.

We tried the Halloween Looney Toons Doughnuts from Krispy Kreme! They were so cute! The Bugs Bunny one had a really tasty caramel buttercream filling and the Tweety and Sylvester doughnut had Candy Corn Sprinkles.

I baked these Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. I make them every year and they're so easy, with just three ingredients. Take a can of Pumpkin Puree, a bag of chocolate chips, and one box of Spice cake mix. Mix together and drop onto baking pans, any size cookie you'd like. Bake at 350 degrees for twenty-five minutes. Cookies will be dense and cake-like. My kids love them, and they taste like fall and a warm hug!

At Oldnavy.com I found this Mickey Pumpkin bag charm for 40% off! It's the perfect addition to my bag this month!

Starbucks has some tasty Halloween and Falls drinks this season. I tried an Iced Pecan Sticky Bun Latte that was delicious and a Venti Black Night Cookie that was really chocolaty and paired well with the latte!

A fun and spooky Halloween display at Bellevue Square Mall!

Last night for the night before Halloween, we baked some themed brownies that looked like a spider web! We also had a movie night at watched Haunted Mansion on Disney Plus.

Pioneer Square in autumn looks so pretty! We went to dinner tonight in South Lake Union (post to come) and we drove through Pioneer Square and downtown.

We took our sons trick-or-treating in our neighborhood and we had so much fun! It's neat when you know some of the neighbors from school or walks and gives it a feeling of community, like when I was a kid. My sons love it and I get so much joy watching them make core memories.

I hope you're having a happy and safe Halloween however you're celebrating! Halloween is on a Saturday this year and won't be again until 2037!

Whiskey Cocktail Flights at Westland Distillery

2026-10-29T20:49:20.024-07:00

My husband and I returned to Westland Distillery's tasting room to try another cocktail flight! Westland Distillery is a local Seattle whiskey distillery in the SODO area, and they offer whiskey tastings and cocktail flights in their tasting room. They currently have two seasonal cocktails and four other ones to choose from. For your flight you can choose four 0.5 oz whiskey cocktails for $15. If you want just a cocktail and not a flight, they're also $15.

This time we tried the two seasonal cocktails and two others. Each cocktail was made with a different whiskey. The seasonal ones were the Pear Pressure which has Westland Beer Cask Finish whiskey, pear nectar, ginger syrup, and lemon juice. This one was our favorite of the four. It was sweet and tangy and tasted similar to something I'd order in a restaurant. The other one was called an End of Summer. This seasonal one had Westland Wine Cask Finish whiskey, Letterpress Amaro, house made blackberry shrub, and black walnut bitters. This one wasn't as yummy and was our least favorite of the four. We didn't enjoy the combination of blackberry and walnut bitters.

The Midnight Old Fashioned and The Night Watch were the other two we tried in our flights. The Old Fashioned had Westland Flagship, cold brew simple syrup, cardamom, and orange bitters, and dehydrated orange. This one had a lot going on and took away from the classic flavors we love in a standard Old Fashioned. But we appreciated the uniqueness of the drink, and we love trying new things. The Night Watch was our other favorite of the four. This cocktail had Watchpost Whiskey, coffee liqueur, Seattle Strong cold brew, simple syrup, orange bitters, and dehydrated orange. This one was similar to an Espresso Martini with an orange essence.

The Pear Pressure.

The Night Watch.

When we were done with our flight tastings, we bought a pin like last time. They actually had different pins this time, so I just had to get one!

They'll soon be changing their seasonal cocktails in December, so we'll probably return then to try the new ones. We had a lovely time sampling our whiskey cocktail flights at Westland Distillery!

See the post from our first visit to Westland Distillery here.

Westland Distillery

2931 1st Ave S

Seattle, WA

Trying a Banana Pudding Matcha Latte at Phe

2026-10-28T16:33:35.811-07:00

The signature Banana Pudding Matcha Latte from Phe.

What started as a matcha and Vietnamese coffee pop-up in the Chinatown-International District in 2022, is now a brick-and-mortar on Capitol Hill. Phe opened in May and is still drawing lines with people wanting to try their specialty matcha and Viet coffee drinks. Phe offers unique topping such as the one I tried, Banana Pudding with nuts and toffee bits.

When we visited, there were just a few people ahead of us in line inside. I ordered my drink and we grabbed a table. It didn't take long for them to make my drink. The drink was a pretty green and topped with the delicious banana pudding with a spoon. We each tried a few bites of the pudding before mixing it with the drink. It was joy in a cup! I wish they sold the banana pudding with the nuts and toffee in a separate cup. I would order one of those and get it on my drink. We mixed everything together and it tasted so good! The matcha was a little bitter like expected, but the sweetness of the banana pudding made it nice and sweet.

The prices for the drinks at Phe are on the pricier side, with a large matcha latte being $12 with taxes, and I tipped $2. Splitting a drink with my husband was the move. Even though I shared the drink, I still got a nice caffeine buzz. Matcha has about as much caffeine as one cup of coffee. If you've never had Matcha, it's finely ground green tea, whisked with hot water and added to a frothy drink. It has antioxidants and caffeine, and not everybody loves the flavor. Most people, me included, like to add toppings, milk, and sweeteners to the drink. And they do a great job of this at Phe with their signature toppings!

Phe

721 E Pine St.

Seattle, WA

Attending Pike Place Market's first Dia De Muertos Festival

2026-10-25T20:01:17.976-07:00

A Calavera (skeleton) stands over the Pike Place Market for the Dia De Muertos Festival on October 23rd.

On Friday, October 23rd, the Pike Place Market held its first ever Dia De Muertos event. The festival was from noon until 9 pm, with a parade at 6:30. Over 10,000 people attended. My husband and I went in the early afternoon around 1 pm. They decorated the market with sugar skulls and skeletons, and I made sure to get a lot of photos! The skeletons are called Calaveras, and they even had people walking through the market with giant paper mache ones on their heads. They had local artists, live music, cultural displays, face painting, community alters, dancing devils, and more. The energy felt vibrant, with everyone coming together to celebrate. It was a little busy when we went, but at night for the parade, I saw online there was a sea of people.

While we were at Pike Place Market, we grabbed a drink at the upstairs Spritz Bar inside the local Italian store DeLaurenti Food and Wine. I had a Blood Orange Mimosa and he had a Negroni. This hidden bar inside of the upstairs wine store was our first visit and definitely not our last! We also explored the lower-level shops in the market and found the store The Market Magic Shop. Right outside the store they have a Harry Potter inspired booth with a Magic Hat that gives you a little card with a fortune. The Magic Hat looks just like the Sorting Hat from Harry Potter. For $2.00 it will talk and dispense a card. So fun and perfect for my scrapbook.

Then we walked around a little more and the crowd was getting thicker, and our parking would soon be up. I took some more photos and got a shot of a woman with a huge Calavera on her head. It looked really cool! My husband and I enjoyed walking around the market and checking out the Dia De Muertos event, grabbing a drink, and soaking up the positive energy and community in Seattle.

A Visit to the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium | Fall 2026

2026-10-19T16:40:53.807-07:00

Four trolls from the art exhibit Trolls: A Field Study, currently on display at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, WA.

It had been around five years since we last visited the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma. What brought us back to visit was a little troll hunting! On display until January is the Trolls: A Field Study by Danish artist Thomas Dambo. These giant trolls are made out of reclaimed wood and are so whimsical and fun to discover, admire, and take photos of.

We saw six other trolls in WA and OR from the NW Trolls: Way of the Bird King, so when I saw Thomas Dambo was creating new ones in two more spots in WA, I wanted to see them. There are four trolls located around the Point Defiance Zoo and eight at the Northwest Trek Wildlife Park. At the entrance to the zoo, you'll find the first troll. There's another near the Polar Bear exhibit and then two more elsewhere. The fun is in finding the trolls! I love turning a corner on a wooded path and then one appears in the trees. It's a fun surprise and the trolls are so well done and creative!

Besides finding all four trolls, our family had an enjoyable time checking out the exhibits. The Saturday we visited was also the Zoo Boo event for kids. Parts of the zoo were decorated for Halloween, along with themed carved pumpkins, a costume parade, activity stations and more. Our boys are a little old for some of these events now, so we explored the animal exhibits and looked for the trolls instead. Besides seeing all four trolls, a highlight for us was seeing the tiger, the otters, and the sharks in the aquarium. I was also happy to see someone handing out big maps and neat interactive troll handbooks- perfect for my scrapbook!

We also checked out the gift shop, always a highlight for my sons and I. They had some birthday money still, so they each picked out an item. I was happy to see they sell surprise pins, so I bought one and then another pin with the zoo's name on it. I opened it outside of the gift shop and got a cute octopus pin, and the tentacles actually move! I also bought two postcards for my scrapbook.

We took a break in the cafe area where we shared a large order of fries and a "dirt cake" pudding cup. This had chocolate pudding and was topped with chocolate cookie pieces, gummy worms, and a really hard and inedible candy pumpkin. This was not great tasting, and I would probably skip this dessert next time.

A side view of the troll at the zoo's entrance. Pack your patience when visiting the trolls. Everyone wants photos with their family posing by each one, and there is usually a line of at least 5 or more groups of people. We waited in line for each troll. Totally worth it though!

We had so much fun seeing the trolls and the animals around the zoo! Visting these trolls bring so much joy to me and I love photographing them!

Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium

5400 N Pearl St.

Tacoma, WA

A Visit to Molly Tea at Westfield Southcenter for their Soft Open

2026-10-13T17:02:04.513-07:00

My Premium Jasmine Grape Salted Cheese drink from the new Molly Tea!

Today I visited Westfield Southcenter for one reason- to go to the brand-new Molly Tea soft open. Today the drinks were 12% off and then they'll have the grand opening with a buy one, get one free deal October 16th-18th. The soft open runs until the 15th. Since it was a weekday, the line wasn't too long. There were about fifteen people ahead of me in line, and an associate was handing out small menus we could keep.

Molly Tea is a tea brand from Shenzhen, China that was founded in 2021. Their drinks are unique because of the floral scents and Jasmine-forward tea. Their aesthetic is a pretty pink and their new store is bright and open with a modern design, perfect for sipping tea. When you enter the store, you'll be greeted by a Molly statue, the brand mascot. She's a character inspired by the jasmine flower, who gives off a feeling of healing, curiosity, joy, and innocence. I love cute characters, so I just had to pose by her.

It didn't take long for them to make my drink. I ordered a cold beverage, a Premium Jasmine Grape Salted Cheese. With the soft opening discount, it was $7.29. The drink was a pretty light purple color and tasted so refreshing. The flavors were pretty subtle all together, and not overly floral or grape forward. I could taste the Salted Cheese, and that was my favorite part. The drink reminded me a little of cereal milk, like when I was a kid and I drank the milk left in the bowl once my Fruit Loops were finished. This was always tasty, and all milk-based drinks should taste that good.

Molly Tea was fun to try. I'm curious to taste the hot drinks in the winter. I really like the way the store looks, and it's a solid addition to Westfield Southcenter.

Molly Tea

2800 Southcenter Mall

Tukwila, WA

My Birthday Moments | cheesecake, freebies, and fun gifts

2026-10-09T17:00:54.462-07:00

This week I celebrated my birthday! Since it was on a weekday, I started celebrating the weekend before. To start, my family and I ate dinner at Red Robin where I got a free meal from my BD rewards. Then we went shopping and I got a few more rewards from Sephora, Box Lunch Gifts, and the Lego Store.

The next day we had BD cheesecake at home which I bought at Target, and it was a Cheesecake Factory one. I had some cute Halloween Disney cake toppers I bought a couple of years ago that I added to the cheesecake. My husband got me my favorite Gucci perfume and my son picked out an adorable Miffy bag charm for me! They also all signed a really neat Mickey Mouse wooden card I'll always treasure. Afterwards we went to Craven Farm, and you can see the post here. That evening my husband and I had a date night to celebrate my BD at the new Solette Rooftop Restaurant and Bar. See the post here.

Then on my actual BD, my husband and I ate lunch at Taco City Taqueria to check out their Halloween Decor and get some yummy Birria items. Check that out here. After lunch I went to Starbucks and got my free drink from my BD rewards. I got an Iced Venti Pumpkin Spice Latte with whipped cream. It was so good! My husband also surprised me with a huge Minion balloon that morning. I loved it! The day after my BD, I still had a BD reward to use at BJ's Brewhouse, so we went and shared a round of cocktails and a Pizookie. We choose the original Chocolate Chip Cookie one with vanilla ice cream. It tasted incredible!

This was such a fun birthday, and I did lots of cool things this year to celebrate!

This Cheesecake Factory cheesecake from Target was so good! I also added some Halloween sprinkles and whipped cream to it. The little Mickey Ghosts were also a fun addition.

I've been loving my new Miffy bag charm and so thankful my son knew I would want it!

Such a nice Mickey card!

In my opinion, this is the best perfume ever.

At Red Robin they have a really good BD reward where you get a free entree. I ordered the Chicken Ceasar wrap and it was normally $19. I also sipped a Captain Colada drink which was so good.

At Box Lunch Gifts in the mall, I had not only a $5 BD reward but also a $5 Anniversary reward from when I first signed up. I bought this mystery pin box and got Piglet. So cute!

At Sephora they give you a free BD gift and you can choose from several items. I chose these hair products- a hair mask and some heat protectant spray that works really well!

Not a BD reward at Lego, but I had enough points in my account for $7 off. I bought this Daisy keychain for $5.99!

This huge Minion balloon was the perfect surprise to start my birthday!

I love when the barista writes on your cup, especially when it's your BD!

The yummy Pizookie from BJ's and it even came with a candle!

Thanks for checking out my BD post wrap-up from this year!

Lunch at Taco City Taqueria during Halloween time

2026-10-09T10:18:21.162-07:00

Cheers to Halloween themed drinks and Birthday lunches! Now, feed me tacos and tell me I'm pretty!

When I saw on Taco City's social media they were all decorated for Halloween, I knew I wanted to eat there on my birthday. We last ate there in February and it looked so cute for Valentine's Day. They do a superb job with their decor and themed cocktails. Check out my post here from that visit!

We also always enjoy the Mexican cuisine, too, especially the Birria Tacos. My husband and I went for lunch, and we tried two Birria items, the Birria Mac and Cheese and the Birria Bao Buns. The Mac and Cheese had Hot Cheetos pieces on top, and the mac and cheese was nice and creamy. The Birria beef was tender and savory but could have been a little saltier.

The serving was big enough for two people to share since we also tried another item. The Bao Buns had a thick bun similar to corn bread. They were served with a spicy salsa and a consommé for dipping. We appreciated the fusion aspect of both dishes, since you don't usually see Birria and Mac and Cheese together, but it really worked. And you never see Birria and Bao Buns together, but it was unique and tasty.

To drink, I had a Poison Apple Margarita which was garnished with a Werther's Original caramel apple candy that was delightful. The drink itself was super tasty, a perfect blend of apple and tequila. It was also a strong cocktail and thankfully, wasn't poisonous like its name suggested! The Halloween decor in the dining room was tastefully done and more of a cutesy Halloween and not spooky. My favorite! My husband had a shot of Tequilla which came in a cool shot glass.

They have a daily happy hour and lunch specials, making this Mexican spot in Columbia City a win for any occasion, even if it's not your birthday or a special holiday!

Taco City Taqueria

5212 Rainier Ave S

Seattle, WA

Visiting Seattle's new rooftop restaurant | Solette at the Level Hotel

2026-10-08T11:03:20.510-07:00

When the sun goes down, the city lights come on and the night begins! The views from the newly opened Solette in South Lake Union offers gorgeous Seattle views and tasty food and cocktails.

To celebrate my birthday, my husband and I did a date night at Solette, located on the 13th floor of the new Level Hotel in SLU. We were greeted with a complimentary glass of bubbles while we waited for our table. We had a reservation, but we arrived ten minutes early. The views of Seattle were so pretty as the sun had just gone down and the sky was that amazing dark blue I'm obsessed with. The Space Needle twinkled at us in the distance.

The restaurant is advertised as a rooftop restaurant with outdoor seating, but it's more of a separate indoor terrace with lots of windows. There is a door that leads to a smaller actual outdoor space that overlooks the pool, but that wasn't open. The restaurant is open to all ages, and they do validate parking in their garage.

They offer two daily happy hours with some good food deals I want to return for. The menu has a nice variety of reasonably priced sharable plates, along with salads, sushi, burgers, and pricier items like steak. The full bar offers signature drinks and the more classic beverages like an Old Fashioned which my husband enjoyed and a Paper Plane which I tried. My cocktail had a nice balance of sour and sweet and was very tasty.

To eat, we kept it light and shared an order of the fries and the Buttermilk Fried Chicken. The fries were fine and nothing special, but paired perfectly with our chicken, the star of the show. The serving was large, just right for two people, or for a small group to share as a starter. This chicken had a spiced maple glaze, giving it the perfect amount of sweetness. These reminded us of grown-up chicken nuggets. These were delightful and the chicken was tender and delicious. There were some sumac pickles on the side, which we loved. The chicken was served with some creamy ranch dip with dill for dipping, which was also tasty and well matched in flavor. One order was $22 which is really reasonable for the large serving, but if you visit at happy hour, these are just $14.

Since it was my BD, they gave me a free dessert. I chose the Salted Caramel Gelato which came with a shortbread cookie. The gelato was amazing and such a sweet gesture for the restaurant to offer. This was a loud and lively restaurant and bar, and it was pretty packed the whole time. They also have another location in Chicago. This was a fun experience and the food and cocktails also shined as bright as the city at this spot. I definitely want to return and try some more items soon!

Solette Rooftop Restaurant and Bar

110 Boren Ave N

Level 13, inside the Level Hotel

Seattle, WA

A Visit to Craven Farm's Fall Festival

2026-10-07T21:20:44.237-07:00

I recently celebrated my birthday and one of the fun things I did was visit Craven Farm in Snohomish. Craven Farm is the original Pumpkin Patch of Snohomish and opened in 1983. They currently have a fall festival happening with themed foods, activities, and tons of photos to take around the farm. The drive from Seattle was around 45 minutes northeast of the city and is located near Monroe.

We tried some Apple Cider Doughnuts that were very good and tasted like fall. One order came with six doughnuts in a bag for around $7 which I thought was a great value. Our family bought two bags and shared them. They also have Pumpkin Doughnuts, but they were out when we visited. I also bought my son some popcorn in the farm store, which he enjoyed while walking around the pumpkin farm. They have an espresso stand, and I tried an Iced Latte with Pumpkin syrup which was also tasty. I also spotted fudge and caramel apples for sale. At the main entrance there is a beer garden, but we didn't check it out.

I liked walking around and taking photos of pumpkins and posing with the various themed backdrops they had all over the farm. You can purchase wristbands to do the festival activities such as a corn maze, a tractor ride, a jump zone, and more.

I liked the fall vibes at Craven Farm and thought it was such a pretty spot to take photos and treat ourselves to the various snacks and drinks! The day we visited was sunny and in the high 60's which we appreciated! These kinds of events are so much more fun on a sunny day.

I thought the entrance to Craven Farm looked so cool with the pumpkins. The perfect photo spot upon arrival, or when leaving like I did! When we entered there were too many people there, so I just waited and a nice woman took a photo on my camera.

Thes bags of popcorn were $8.

Our family loved the Apple Cider Doughnuts. They were a pretty good size and covered in cinnamon and sugar, with a lovely apple flavor!

This Wizard of Oz fall display was so cute!

Fall is knocking, time to answer!

I'm just a fall girlie with my Disney bag charm and vintage Coach bag, living her best life!

This iced coffee hit the spot, although the wait for it was long since everyone else had the same idea!

These trees looked gorgeous when we spotted them near the parking lot. Parking is free, which is always a plus!

Have you ever visited a Pumpkin farm? Washington has lots to choose from outside of Seattle. I recommend checking one out if you love fall!

Craven Farm

13817 Shorts School Road

Snohomish, WA

Lunch at Sonara Carne Asada House for Nachos and a Dubai Chocolate Dessert

2026-10-06T15:08:47.689-07:00

A friend recommended Sonara Carne Asada House in Seattle for the Dubai Chocolate dessert cup! I'd actually been wanting to try this and had just been thinking about it and wondering where I could try one. This treat is a large cup filled to the brim with sliced strawberries, melted chocolate, the crunchy Kataifi, and pistachio cream. When I looked up the restaurant on social media, it looked like a popular spot to for tacos and nachos, too. This looked like the making of a delicious weekday lunch, so my husband and I headed on over to give it a try.

This is a quick service spot with lots of booths and even a salsa bar. We ordered the Prime Nachos to share. These are topped with tender Barbacoa Beef and have seasoned chips along with nacho cheese and sour cream. We visited the salsa bar and grabbed some creamy guac and some salsa. We enjoyed the nachos and appreciated the unique spin of the Barbacoa and the salty chips which we'd never had before.

But unfortunately, they didn't have the Dubai Chocolate dessert that day since they were out of chocolate. We ended up going back today and trying it! This time I called before I went so we'd be sure they'd have it. This treat is pretty pricey at over $18. But the cup is huge and enough for a few people to try. It looked a lot sweeter and decadent that it tastes. I feel like there could be more chocolate and pistachio cream, but the strawberries tasted fresh and there were lots of the crunchy Kataifi.

Sonara Carne Asada House

5901 Rainier Ave S

Seattle, WA

September Eats and Drinks

2026-09-27T17:21:31.184-07:00

With there being just a few days left in September, I thought I'd do a wrap up of some of the unique food and drinks I tried this month that I didn't already post about! The month felt long to me, with back to school, everyone in my household getting their first cold of the season and celebrating our sons' 13th birthday!

The first week of the boys being back in school, my husband and I grabbed a drink at Westfield Southcenter at Moctezuma's. Imagine my surprise when I saw they now have Soft Serve Margaritas! Heck yes! I ordered the Strawberry Mango one and it was 10 out of 10.

On our sons' birthday I treated them to something sweet at The Flora Bakehouse in Beacon Hill. I chose the current sundae they have which is Espresso soft serve with hot fudge, pistachios, and a crunchy pistachio topping. The combo of these toppings with the soft serve was truly delicious!

This month I grabbed my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the fall season from Starbucks! Hits every time!

My boys each got a small birthday cake and chose a design. One wanted a cat and the other wanted a Creeper character from Minecraft. I ordered these cakes from the Safeway bakery and they were good cakes, but the amount of frosting was crazy, maybe even too sweet for me and that's saying a lot!

Yesterday and today is the Italian Festival held at Seattle Center. We went and we tried a piece of Tiramisu! It was yummy, but this slice was expensive at $10. The event was cool though and there were a lot of fun things to do such as grape stomping, pizza dough tossing, live music, food booths, a beer and wine garden, and more!

My husband and I went to bar we hadn't visited before in Georgetown- Seattle Tavern and Pool Room. We each got a cocktail. I had a Cosmo that was really good and well made. The bar was dark and filled with pool tables. Definitely a dive bar, and it was fun to check it out.

I bought these Harry Potter Golden Snitch cookies at Target! They're so cute with the design and are tasty sugar cookies!

Thanks for checking out my September food and drink post. Cheers!

A Visit to the Smith Tower's Observation Deck and Bar

2026-09-21T14:00:32.901-07:00

A view from the Smith Tower at nightfall! Pro trip- plan your visit before sunset so you'll see both day and night views.

My twin sons turned thirteen this week, so I officially have two teenagers now! To celebrate, they each invited one friend to go on top of the Smith Tower for dinner. There was a total of six of us, and we purchased our tickets there before going up. Since we're all locals, the price was discounted at $18 each. We visited on a Friday before 6pm, so it wasn't very busy yet. If you're going on a Saturday, I would buy tickets ahead of time.

The Smith Tower opened in 1914 and has lots of history and lore. The tower is an icon in our city and adds a uniqueness to the Seattle skyline. We first visited for our sons' 6th BD back in 2019, so this was our second time up top and in the restaurant. You can see my post here from that visit. Tickets to the top were only $12 for locals then, wow!

After you buy your ticket, you'll walk through a mini museum filled with historic artifacts from the early 1900's when the tower was first built. From there you'll go up a flight of stairs and ride one of the historic elevators to the 35th floor. You'll exit the elevator and be in the restaurant and bar. The observation deck is straight ahead where you'll discover the city, Puget Sound, and more from the 360-degree views around the tower. We got a table first, then my husband held down the fort while the four boys and I took in the gorgeous views from above.

Since we arrived at the observation deck around 6pm, it was still perfectly light outside and a very pretty late summer evening. We also saw the sun set, go down, and then all of the lights of the city turn on, making for some amazing views and photos!

Back inside at our table, I ordered the Yesler Old Fashioned with Walnut Bitters. I liked how smoky and nutty the cocktail was, and there was even a liquor-soaked walnut in the glass, which was pretty tasty! My husband enjoyed a Midnight on the Water, which was a cool name for a Manhattan. To eat, most of us ordered the Spiced Chicken Sliders which came with three to an order along with some Kettle Chips. The sliders had a little heat to them and the chicken was nicely flavored. We also shared the Observatory Board which had meat, cheese, bread, and olives. For dessert we ordered two Chocolate Flourless Tortes for the birthday celebration. You can't bring your own cake or have candles, so we had birthday cake back at home.

My sons and their friends had so much fun exploring the observation deck and having a fancy dinner, too! I loved taking tons of photos and taking in the pretty views. If you've never visited the Smith Tower, I highly recommend doing so!

The Smith Tower Observatory and Bar

202 Yesler Way

Seattle, WA

A Harry Potter Movie Night

2026-09-12T17:15:19.644-07:00

A spellbinding movie night at home! Harry Potter themed treats from Target and a viewing of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

It's the 25th anniversary of the Harry Potter films so we watched Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone at home with themed food and drinks. The first movie came to theaters in November 2021. This week on September 9th, Target released a line of Harry Potter candy, so we went and bought a few items to go along with the movie. I also tried making my own Butterbeer, plus we had roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn like they eat in the film. Since Harry has a birthday in the movie and Haggard gives him a cake, we ate some mini cupcakes for dessert.

At Target I bought a chocolate frog which came in a blue box and contained one trading card. It was very similar to what you can buy at Universal Studios, but the frog was milk chocolate, and we thought it tasted better than the one we bought at the theme park. The frog is solid chocolate and hard to eat, but it's a very fun and whimsical candy. In the movie, Harry gets a box just like it on the Hogwarts Express, but when he opens it, a real frog jumps out.

We also tried some Candy Floss (Cotton Candy), and the jar had both green and pink inside. The jar is pretty cool and I'm going to use it to store some pens. The third Target item we tried were the Chocolate Cockroach Clusters. There were three chocolate-shaped bugs, and they were filled with caramel and pecans. These were the best and tastiest out of the three items we tried!

To make my own Butterbeer I used a can of Olipop Cream Soda, sugar free whipped cream, and melted butterscotch chips. These were the only items I could find at Target, but you should use Butterscotch sauce instead of the chips. I melted the chips and they hardened up too fast in the drink. The Olipop wasn't sweet enough, I would look for a different brand of Cream Soda next time. This was still fun to create, and I can't wait for my next Butterbeer in the theme park or Harry Potter store someday!

We had fun watching the Harry Potter movie while eating our dinner and trying the different themed candy and ending on another sweet not with the cupcakes.

Have you ever done a movie night at home with themed food and drinks? I highly recommend it for your next movie night!

A Visit to the Washington State Fair

2026-09-06T15:59:53.796-07:00

The Washington State Fair in Puyallup is celebrating its 126th year. The fair is held every September and is an annual tradition for us.

This weekend is the opening of the Washington State Fair. Our family went yesterday and kids are free all weekend. It was raining when we arrived and I was a little worried since I was wearing shorts and didn't have a hoodie, just a sweatshirt. But we got lucky and by the time we finished lunch, it stopped raining, the clouds cleared, and it actually got warm!

They have some new and unique fair eats this year and we tried a few of them. I got the Churro Korean Cheese Dog and the Deep Fried Hawaiian sweet rolls on a stick! Both were really sweet and messy, but what else would you expect! They were really tasty, especially the first couple of bites. My husband had the new Pickle Dog Corn Dog, and it was also really good. My son got the Chicken Strips and Fries in a bucket and the Fried Oreos, and my other son got a Korean Cheese Dog covered in Hot Cheetos! After lunch we bought some ride tickets for the carnival rides.

The Churro Korean Cheese Dog.

The Deep Fried Hawaiian Sweet Rolls.

A close up of the Pickle Dog Corn Dog. He got some ketchup and liked it even better!

My sons and I had so much fun riding rides all afternoon! I rode six rides with my boys. It was a great time, but pretty tiring by the time we were done.

This ship ride my son and I rode was our favorite!

This swing ride was pretty high and made me dizzy! It was really fun though.

I bought my sons some Dippin Dots in Cotton Candy flavor. Each one was $7, so pretty pricey!

Even more expensive was this small Dole Whip for $9! It did hit the spot though.

We loved seeing the farm animals, especially the goats!

We had so much fun at the Washington State Fair this year! The fair runs until September 27th.

Eats and Drinks for July and August

2026-08-28T21:37:45.289-07:00

Summer is wrapping up and Labor Day Weekend is next week. Now is a good time for a July and August food post where I show the extra food shots I haven't already included in my prior posts. I'll start with my most recent ones and go back to my Montana trip, where I'll show the food we ate in Spokane, WA on the way there.

If you didn't know Bellevue had a Carvel Ice Cream location at Bellevue Square Mall, now you do! Carvel is a classic soft serve spot with locations around the country, and you can find them at the Cinnabon in the mall. I ordered a medium chocolate and vanilla swirl with sprinkles for $3.99, and it was so smooth and tasty! Highly recommended grabbing one next time you're in Bellevue.

Also located in Bellevue is Central Bar and Restaurant where you'll find an amazing happy hour, daily for 3-5 pm! The well drinks are $7 and the Classic Old Fashioned is $10. All of the food items are also $10. We shared a couple of items, but we really liked the Korean Fried Cauliflower. The restaurant is classy and upscale, what you'd expect in this area of Bellevue. I enjoyed the Old Fashioned, and my husband tried a Sunset Stroll which had Bourbon and was a cross between a Negroni and an Old Fashioned.

This week we took my sister-in-law out to lunch at Tutta Bella in Columbia City to celebrate her birthday. My husband and I shared the Piccante E Dolce pizza which had pepperoni, sausage, onion, jalapeños, and hot honey. It was delicious but a little spicy for me with the jalapenos!

Earlier in August we dined at the Whistle Stop Ale House in Renton. They also have a happy hour and we shared some items. I enjoyed the carne asada tacos with caramelized onions.

On our way to Montana, we stayed overnight in Spokane and dined at Twigs Bistro and Martini Bar. We had eaten there before in 2020 and had really liked it. This time I enjoyed a Key Lime Pie Martini that tasted like dessert in a glass. I also ordered an Old Fashioned that was well made.

My husband and I shared the Fig and Prosciutto Flatbread. It was so good!

For dessert at Twig Bistro, we shared the Sticky Cookie. This was a double chunk chocolate chip cookie with vanilla bean ice cream, caramel, chocolate, and whipped cream. This was the perfect way to start our summer vacay and was so delicious!

On the last night of our MT trip, we stayed in Spokane again and we ate at Chilis! This is the closest one to us, besides the new one that just opened at Sea-Tac airport. They have a monthly drink that is only $6, so I tried one of those. This was July's one and it was The Bombshell. It was good, but there was a lot of ice and I drank it fast!

We also finally got to try the Triple Dipper! Chilis is famous for this item which comes with three signature appetizers of your choice. The portion is huge, so I recommend sharing one of these! The Nashville Hot Mozzarella Sticks are a fan favorite, so I tried those and they were extremely cheesy, but yummy! I also got the Nashville Hot Chicken Strips and the Southwest Eggrolls. Of the three, the cheese sticks were the winner, and I would just order that next time!

Thanks for checking out my July and August food post, and I look forward to making one for the fall months, too!

Summermaxing in Seattle | Pike Place Market and the waterfront edition

2026-08-22T16:54:58.021-07:00

Seattle summers don't last long, in fact today I did some back-to-school shopping with my sons already. The summer flew by, and before we know it, the weather will be chilly and raining. So yesterday we headed downtown to Pike Place Market and the Seattle Waterfront for some summermaxing, which means taking advantage of the summer while we can!

We started at Salt and Straw, the newest location across from the market on 1st Ave. This ice cream company started in Portland and now has locations all over the country. We've visited the OG location in Portland, and the one in Ballard and Cap Hill in Seattle. But this was our first time to this downtown location.

They currently have their Summer Series flavors, so I got a split scoop for 50 cents more where I chose two flavors. I ordered the Wild-Foraged Berry Slab Pie and the Pear and Blue Cheese flavor. These weren't the best combo, but it was tasty nonetheless! The pie ice cream had big chunks of pastry and fresh-picked berries in the smooth and creamy ice cream. The other flavor was just alright, and the blue cheese flavor was luckily subtle. I really like Salt and Straw and it's some of the best ice cream around.

You can read about our visit to the Ballard location here, the Cap Hill location here and the OG Portland location here!

In the summertime, they have lots of outdoor seating at Pike Place Market. The perfect place to take in the market vibes and enjoy your snack and drinks.

My husband and I decided to buy a cocktail to-go from The Alibi Room, one of the participating restaurants in the Sip and Savor summer program at the market. You can read about it here from when we tried it in June! I got a Frozen Fresca, and he got a Manhattan on the rocks. We were able to drink it as we walked around the market.

After finishing our drinks, we went down to the waterfront via some stairs. There are lots of ways to access the waterfront from the market, but my favorite way is via the new Overlook Walk. You can read about it more here.

When you arrive at the waterfront, you can take in the views of the Seattle Great Wheel, let your kids blow off some steam at the Pier 59 Playground that opened last year, take in the water and city views behind you, and much more!

You can find my post about our visit to the Seattle Great Wheel here.

You can read more about the playground on the waterfront here.

We decided to grab a cocktail at The Fisherman's Restaurant and Bar. They have an outdoor bar located almost under the Seattle Great Wheel. I sipped an Espresso Martini while he enjoyed an Old Fashioned. We didn't even know this outdoor bar existed but now we do. A perfect summer oasis on the waterfront!

This was a successful afternoon summermaxing in Seattle!

Where are some of your favorite spots to enjoy summertime in Seattle or where you live?

How to make Chocolate Chip Cookies you'll love

2026-08-20T17:27:23.439-07:00

Over the years I've baked cookies plenty of times. Most of the times, I didn't like the way they turned out because of the texture. The flavor is usually awesome, and there's really nothing like enjoying a fresh baked cookie right out of the oven. Even if they're too thick or cakey, you can't argue with the flavor and freshness. But I was tired of baking chocolate chip cookies that always turned out too thick and dense. I wanted more of a bakery style cookie with crispy edges and a gooey center.

Since I had half of a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips in my pantry, I decided to Google a recipe and do some experimenting. To my disappointment I didn't have any brown sugar, and isn't that kind of a star ingredient in chocolate chip cookies? Well, yes, and you can actually make your own using 1 tablespoon of Molasses and one cup of granulated sugar. When I googled about making your own brown sugar, a chocolate chip cookie recipe also showed up, and I decided to use it. I'm not sure where the recipe originally comes from, all I know is the recipe was simple and that these cookies turned out really well and I'll forever be using this recipe.

I also baked one test cookie first so I could get the baking time right. The recipe said to bake them for 9-11 minutes, and at that time the cookie was way underdone. I ended up baking the one cookie for 13 minutes and it was just right. The next two trays I baked for 15 minutes. That seems like a long time, but they turned out great! My mom actually recommended to bake a test cookie first, and she was right! Thanks, Mom!

Another trick I tried was using parchment paper, which I don't always do, and I will probably always do now. Another thing I did differently this time was using softened butter that had been on my counter for a while. I usually just microwave my butter to soften it but letting it sit out on the counter for a long time is probably the best plan. I also only use Kerrygold butter now, from Ireland. I can taste the quality in this butter. You can buy it at Costco, and it costs less than purchasing it individually at the grocery store.

This recipe is a basic Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, but you can adjust or add mix-ins like nuts, white chocolate chips, or add crushed up Oreo cookies. I topped some cookies with Oreos on a couple of my cookies before baking and they turned out so good! Peanut Butter, graham crackers, and chocolate candy pieces would also be delicious.

I'm sure most people who love to bake have a tried-and-true chocolate chip cookie recipe already, but just in case, here is a simple one I found just from a quick Google search!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar with 1 T. Molasses to make brown sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with Parchment Paper.

Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy.

Mix in egg and vanilla until smooth.

Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt on low speed until just combined.

Add the chocolate chips and stir until combined.

I recommend baking a test cookie, so you'll know how long to bake them for. Start with ten minutes and add time as needed.

I got around 18 cookies from this batch. My kids and I were happy with these, and I'll be baking them again soon! My sons will appreciate having some warm cookies as an after-school snack with some milk and fruit!

Exploring the B&B Family Lavender Farm in Sequim, WA

2026-08-18T17:08:23.769-07:00

Sequim, WA is the lavender capitol of the country. There are many farms to visit in the area, and there's even a Lavender Festival held every year in July. Although we've never attended the festival, we have visited a couple of the local farms. Last year we went to Jardin Du Soleil, and you can see the post here. On the overnight our family took last weekend we checked out B&B Family Lavender Farm.

This is Sequim's largest lavender farm. They're open daily from May through September and even offer guided tours every thirty minutes. They have over 14,000 plants. I could smell the lavender as soon as I got out of my car. Lavender is one of my favorite scents, so I was thrilled. We walked around and took lots of photos of the plants. Then we visited the farm store, and I purchased a postcard and some Lavender Lemonade. The lemonade wasn't my favorite since it was bubbly and a little too tart, but my son enjoyed it and polished it off.

We didn't do the tour, but they explain how the lavender is grown, harvested, distilled, and turned into products. Lavender Farms are some of my favorite places to visit, and this one didn't disappoint!

Have you visited a Lavender Farm before?

B&B Family Lavender Farm

5883 Old Olympic Hwy

Sequim, WA

A Visit to Sequim, WA| Summer 2026

2026-08-18T16:37:01.630-07:00

Last weekend we took an overnight to Sequim, WA on the Olympic Peninsula. We took the ferry to Bainbridge Island and then drove to Poulsbo for lunch before heading to Sequim. You can see my post here from our visit to Poulsbo. We've been going to Sequim for years to visit our family, and every visit we like to do different things and explore.

I always enjoy riding the ferry from the Seattle waterfront. It's so fun taking photos of the Seattle skyline, the Puget Sound, and the other ferries going past ours. I try to grab some free brochures for my scrapbook, and they're usually updated ones, so I don't get duplicates. This time we bought some snacks for the thirty-minute ride to Bainbridge. I bought a Diet Coke and some cheese and salami with chocolate covered almonds, while my sons got chips and popcorn. My husband bought some clam chowder and some red wine to enjoy and hold him over until lunchtime.

After a lovely time in Poulsbo and driving through lots of construction, we made it to Sequim and got settled in. Our aunt loves to bake, so she made some cookies for us! For dinner we ate at the Old Mill Cafe in Carlsborg, the next town over. We tried to eat in Sequim at a place we had in mind, but it was packed, along with the spots around it. Since we had eaten at the Old Mill Cafe last year and knew we liked it, we drove over and got a table right away. You can see my post from last year here!

This time we shared the BBQ Pork Sandwich with Waffle Fries, and I had a Cosmo to drink. Our sons ordered from the kid's menu and enjoyed their food. I like the rustic, country decor at the Old Mill Cafe, and the Christmas Tree they keep year around but decorate it for each season. It currently had butterflies, flowers, and lights, and looks so pretty.

For lunch the next day we ate at The Moon Palace, Sequim's first Chinese restaurant that has been open

38 years. They serve the classic dishes we love such as Sweet and Sour Chicken, fried rice, Chow Mien, and more. We enjoyed a combo family platter with Sweet and Sour Chicken, Pork Fried Rice, and Chicken Chow Mien. For dessert we shared some ice cream cake that was really tasty!

We also went shopping in the downtown area of Sequim. We bought some things at Forage Gifts. I bought some candy for my sons, and I bought a pin and a postcard. We also went into Dungeness Kids, a toy store, where I found two pins on sale for under $3.

I took a bunch of photos of the Seattle Skyline on the way home. The city looked so nice, and the day was sunny and pretty clear. The secret is not getting into your car right upon reaching Seattle but taking some shots instead as the ferry approaches the pier. Just don't take too long, or it will be time to drive off the ferry, and you'll still be taking photos.

We also checked out the B&B Family Farm in Sequim which I'll be sharing about in my next post, so stay tuned! They are one of the many lavender farms in Sequim, and now we have visited two.

Thanks for checking out my Sequim post!

A Visit to Poulsbo, WA

2026-08-17T19:20:32.175-07:00

A postcard and sticker I purchased from a local shop in downtown Poulsbo, after we ate lunch and grabbed a coffee!

It had been five years since we last visited Poulsbo, WA on the Kitsap Peninsula. The city is known as "Little Norway" and every time I visit, I feel transported to Europe. The downtown area has cute architecture and is very walkable. There are plenty of notable shops, bakeries, coffee shops, and dining in this charming waterfront town. We stopped for lunch on the way to Sequim to visit family. We first took the ferry from the Seattle waterfront to Bainbridge Island. Then we drove about thirty minutes to Poulsbo.

The bright Viking banners looked great along Front St. in Poulsbo.

The building on the left is my favorite and is actually the Senior Citizens center in town.

For lunch we ate at Casa Luna. This Mexican restaurant was a little tricky to find, but once we spotted the sign and the narrow and vibrant alleyway leading to the entrance, we were ready to eat! Even though the town feels like Norway, Casa Luna felt like Tulum, Mexico. I started with a Blood Orange Margarita. It was a little too sweet, but I really enjoyed it anyway.

My husband and I shared the Birria Tacos. They were hot and full of drippy, melty cheese, so no complaints from us! My son ordered the appetizer platter which was a huge portion featuring a tower of three plates of appetizers. There was Cheese Nachos, Birria Pizza, and the bottom had something similar to Chicken Taquitos. My other son just wanted a plain Cheeseburger from the kid's menu. We ended up ordering too much, so we took the rest of our food to go and ate some at our relative's house.

After lunch we walked a couple of blocks over to Byrdie's Coffee. This walk-up coffee spot is popular for its unique coffee concoctions such as Banana Bread Matchas and more. My son had a brownie for dessert, and I ordered a Blue Byrd iced coffee. This was like a slice of blueberry pie meets a latte. I loved the flavors and I liked how I could see the syrup in the cup.

After getting my coffee, I walked into a gift shop and bought a postcard and a sticker for my scrapbook.

We enjoyed our afternoon in Poulsbo! Then we drove to Sequim and it took us an hour and forty minutes instead of the usual hour because of the construction. Summertime and construction seem to go hand in hand here in Washington! But we did make it safely to Sequim and had a fun overnight which I'll be posting about soon!

Have you visited Poulsbo, WA, or "Little Norway"? Add this town to your Washington bucket list!

Casa Luna

18830 Front St.

Poulsbo, WA

Byrdie's Coffee

18980 Jensen Way NE

Poulsbo, WA

Trying animal-faced ice cream at Besito Ice Cream

2026-08-11T19:28:22.014-07:00

My scoop of Coffee Brownie in a cup with the cutest Koala face!

If you like your ice cream with an animal face, then you'll love visiting Besito Ice Cream on First Hill. They share a large and open space with Leon Coffee. The decor is all so cute, with lots of photo backgrounds.

At this ice cream shop, you can choose your flavor of ice cream and then get either a panda, piggy, bear, koala, or dog face on your scoop! It's so cute and my sons adored their cones. One of them chose the Cotton Candy ice cream with a koala face and the other chose the Chocolate Abuelita with a bear face. I selected a scoop of Coffee Brownie in a cup with a koala face, and I loved how cute it was! The ice cream is hand-scooped, and the quality was just okay. I liked the coffee and light chocolate flavor, but the texture was just alright for me. The price was high with all three ice creams costing $28 plus a tip.

I liked the look of the store and the ice cream, but I probably wouldn't return because of the price. This was my second time trying adorable ice cream like this, but if you've never had it and you love unique looking ice cream, I would give this place a try!

Besito Ice Cream

610 Terry Ave

Seattle, WA

Lunch at The Desoto Grill in Kalispell, MT

2026-08-09T13:52:16.713-07:00

Looking for good BBQ in the Kalispell area? Check out Desoto Grill, in the downtown part of town. This BBQ spot is located in an old 1910 blacksmith shop. The couple who owns the restaurant have a pretty sweet story involving a love for hot rods and lots of BBQ experience. The Desoto Grill was named after a 1954 Desoto Powermaster which the owner's grandpa and mentor owned. You can read the whole story here on their website.

The restaurant's interior was chock full of quirky mementos on the walls, and the blacksmith shop gives it a rustic feel, which is so fitting for BBQ cuisine. Locals love this spot and it gets packed. They have outdoor seating, too, for summer days. We went for lunch and were seated right away. They don't have a full bar, but they do sell beer and wine. I sipped a Prosecco and my husband had a Mac and Jack's beer. We split the Beef Brisket Sandwich. The brisket is smoked for 14 hours. The sandwich also came with Mac and Cheese. You can choose from several options. We selected the Smoky Bacon Mac and Cheese. The sandwich was big, so I'm glad we shared.

The brisket was nice and tender, but it needed a little more salt and BBQ sauce, which they have at each table. I had no complaints about the brisket once I added what I needed. The Mac and Cheese was pretty much perfect, one of the best restaurant ones I've tried. I liked the smokiness from the bacon and the small pieces of bacon. This was a fun and enjoyable lunch. I thought the building was cool, and I'll never say no to brisket and mac and cheese!

The Desoto Grill

227 1st St. W

Kalispell, MT