10 Instagram Worthy Spots - Seattle/Bellevue

Ihave an exciting post for you guys today! I teamed up with Anna from Two Sleepless Foodies in Seattle who is an extremely talented blogger with some serious knowledge of all things food related, no kidding go check out her blog I guarantee you will be drooling over some of her restaurant reviews and travels. Together we came up with 10 Instagram Worthy Spots in Seattle and the Bellevue. We know that it can be challenging to find locations that are not super touristy and that as much as we love the Space Needle and Pike Place Market there are hundreds of beautiful lesser known locations to snap a gorgeous picture. So without further ado here are our 10 top Instagram worthy spots.   

LOCATION: Bellevue Demonstration Garden - 15500 SE 16th St, Bellevue
BEST FOR: Floral Photography and Portraits.
Open year round with a variety of blooming plants the lesser known Bellevue Demonstration Garden is a great place to snap photos of nature without the having to dodge the crowds. I would recommend the Bellevue Demonstration Gardens for portraits and flower photography. There is even a small covered picnic area so you can bring your lunch, rain or shine!

 View a post from the Bellevue Demonstration Garden >>> HERE

LOCATION: Jose Rizal Bridge - 2th Avenue South, Seattle
BEST FOR: Seattle city-scape and view of the sports stadiums.
Located over a busy freeway this bridge is not for the faint of heart however, the view and photography it allows is to die for! From the Jose Rizal Bridge you can take a gorgeous panoramic of the city of Seattle or portrait photography with the sports stadiums or city in the background. If you are not afraid of heights this location is a must!

LOCATION: Mercer Slough - 1625 118th Ave SE, Bellevue
BEST FOR: Nature/wildlife photography and portraits. 
Located near downtown Bellevue the Mercer Slough is a surprising wildlife refuge with a wonderful walking trail around the river and swamp. I have been to the Slough many times and spotted dozens of different bird species. This area is great for portrait photography there is even a pretty bridge with a distant view of the city of Bellevue.

LOCATION: Kelsey Creek Farm - 410 130th Pl SE, Bellevue
BEST FOR: Farm photography, vintage old barns, animals, and Lake to Lake Trail. 
Kelsey Creek Farm is located on the outskirts of Downtown Bellevue and can be a little difficult to spot since it is in the heart of a quaint little neighborhood, but that is the beauty of this spot it is a hidden oasis in the busy city that is Bellevue. Kelsey Creek has 2 beautiful vintage white barns that make the perfect background for portrait photography. There are also plenty of friendly farm animals and a hiking trail located in the back of the property.

View a post from Kelsey Creek Farm >>> HERE

LOCATION: Near Magnolia Bridge, Elliot Ave, Seattle (near cruise boat terminal)  

BEST FOR: Train photography, sunset, industrial. 

This is a hidden little spot that is great for fashion photography and an overall industrial vibe. You can quickly find parking and walk behind a large warehouse building where there is a walkway and closeup view of the railroad tracks. The sunset makes a brilliant contrast behind all of the heavy equipment, power-lines, and if your lucky moving train!

 The next 5 spots are contributed by Anna of Two Sleepless Foodies in Seattle

LOCATION: Daejeon Park, 1144 Sturgus Ave S, Seattle
BEST FOR: Korean Pavilion, Mount Rainer
Nope, we are not in Seoul but still in Seattle, in the neighborhood of Beacon Hill. The Korean pavilion was built in 2009 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the friendship between Seattle and its Korean sister city: Daejeon. What strikes me the most are the bright, vibrant colors and the traditional patterns used for the pavilion decoration. This is known as dancheong, the Korean art of painting historic wooden structures. It is based on five colors; blue (represents east), white (west), red (south), black (north) and yellow (center). If you are lucky, you can catch a glimpse of Mount Rainier in the background. It’s basically the perfect photo spot, isn’t it? If you want to check out more examples of Korean architecture, head over to my blog post on Seoul HERE

LOCATION: NE 14^th Street, Sacred Heart church 
BEST FOR: Seattle skyline / cityscape pics. 

If you are looking for unobstructed views of Seattle’s skyline from the other side of Lake Washington, look no further! This spot on top of the hill is great for sweeping views of the city against the show-stopping backdrop of the Olympic mountains and the sunset. You can also clearly see the Space Needle from here. Not bad, uhm? Plus, since this location is on the Points loop trail connecting Bellevue, Medina and Clyde Hill, you can always combine your photo session with a nice walk, hike or bike ride.

LOCATION: Union Station, Seattle

BEST FOR: Architecture, travel and fashion or vintage-themed pics.

This is by far my absolute favorite spot in Seattle. Ready to travel back in time? As soon as I entered the building, I was transported to a different dimension, to a different century. I pictured myself as a traveler back then and how modern this station must have looked in 1911. For some reason, it reminds me a bit of New York’s Grand Central Station and its vaulted ceilings. Let the charm of this enchanted place spark your inspiration. You won’t regret it.

Bear in mind that it is also an event venue and is only open to the public from Monday to Friday (8 am to 5 pm).

LOCATION: Daejeon Park, 1144 Sturgus Ave S, Seattle

BEST FOR: Korean pavilion, Mount Rainier.

Nope, we are not in Seoul but still in Seattle, in the neighborhood of Beacon Hill. The Korean pavilion was built in 2009 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the friendship between Seattle and its Korean sister city: Daejeon. What strikes me the most are the bright, vibrant colors and the traditional patterns used for the pavilion decoration. This is known as dancheong, the Korean art of painting historic wooden structures. It is based on five colors; blue (represents east), white (west), red (south), black (north) and yellow (center). If you are lucky, you can catch a glimpse of Mount Rainier in the background. It’s basically the perfect photo spot, isn’t it? If you want to check out more examples of Korean architecture, head over to my blog post on Seoul >>> HERE

 

LOCATION: Bellevue skyline and school bus parking lot, from 120^th Ave NE and 6^th Street

BEST FOR: Bellevue skyline / cityscape pics

Bellevue, Seattle’s little sister, is often neglected as a photo spot. But Bellevue is cool too and still off-the-beaten-photo-track. Take this location, for example. It’s a cool urban setting and I love how the yellow school buses, all gathered together, seem to be hanging out and enjoy a breathtaking Pacific Northwestern sunset over Bellevue. Ok, maybe that’s just too much imagination… 

 

* For more Instagram-worthy spots off-the-beaten-path in Seattle and around the world, follow Anna on Instagram anna.mariani86 and Ashley of Charcoal and Ash charcoalandashpnw

I'm Still Alive!

H ey anyone and everyone who reads my blog! It's been a while so I thought I would do a little update on life and the blog. 2016 has been insane for me so much has happened and a LOT of it has been good yay! I have started a photography business which I am currently working all the kinks out of, learning about the business and perfecting my technical skills. I hope you will all take a moment to check out my Shop and maybe add a print or two to your home ;) As for the blog I have been taking time to ponder what it is I want to do with this space of mine which is now 4 years old (still a baby on the blogoshpere) I have decided that this space will be an extension of my photography business, which makes sense as it is what initially inspired me to pick up a camera. I remember when I first started taking low resolution images from the web for my posts lol oh how the times have changed. I hope to share my photography adventures, inspiration, a fashion post or two although I think I'm over that, and some of my finished products. I hope you will stick around the blog and enjoy this new phase of my creative life with me!

Creating a Creative Space

 

This month has been a whirlwind for me I dove right into 2016 with my goals on my mind and have been killing it these last few weeks. One of the things that has helped is my new creative space. Originally behind my desk was an old painting that I did when I was at Pacific Lutheran University and although I love it and will never get rid of it, I wanted a fresh space for 2016. During Black Friday I purchased prints from Alex Pardee, Jenny Highsmith , and Amina Maya. Then for Christmas my Mr. framed them all for me. I added a pine wall hanging from Pony Art Co. and a really cool air plant holder from Carter & Rose. I really love my new work area, I feel that I surrounded myself in a away that sparks creativity. I also organized all of my files, and all of mine and Paul's undergrad/grad school books. One of the other great investments for 2016 was the Quicken for Mac... it has really helped me get a hold of my finances which is a must for approaching my late 20's lol Originally I got a faux fur rug from Ikea to put on top of my bookshelf as decor but Kevin has recently claimed it for himself... it actually works out because it's nice to have him sitting by me while I work. Anyways I hope this post has inspired you to create your own creative space using whatever sparks your imagination. 

52 List Project: list no. 1

List your goals and dreams for this year.

• To become more financially aware/savvy - Bought and set up Quicken 2016 for Mac its amazing + started a new budget. 

• To advance in my current job - This is the first job that I have had that I absolutely LOVE how do I know this? I am excited to wake up in the morning lol weird. 

• To live a healthier lifestyle - Exercise bike + Jillian Micheals here I come. 

• To find a fun exercise activity - Hiking for amazing photos. Olympic Rain Forrest!

• To learn a new skill ie language, instrument, or hobby - Icelandic (wink wink)

• To start planning, learning, and preparing to buy a home - I have my work cut out for me.

• To start producing artwork for sale (I've always wanted to do this!) Etsy shop in the making.

• To travel somewhere Paul and I have never been before - Iceland (hint hint)

• To begin writing a book - even if it is just for me -First few storys are already in the making. 

• To create a more structured lifestyle and introduce routine back into my life - Paul has destroyed every ounce of routine I ever had and it's ok but I need to recreate it. 

• Get my first tattoo - I really, really, really, want a full sleeve. (I need to start small though) really really really small ;)

Take Action: What is the first step toward achieving your biggest goal? Pick one thing you can do this week to get started!

Paul and I have started this year by having "goal meetings"... This is how I intend to start making progress towards each one of these goals.

Friday the 13th Inspired Table Decor

Hey everyone! Today is my Birthday and to celebrate I created a "Friday the 13th" inspired table setting. Personally I view the 13th as a lucky day ;) but traditionally it has been viewed as a very unlucky number. I used this as an excuse to explore my love of Gothic decor. When I was planning this shoot I immediately thought of the old tree stumps at Rattlesnake Lake they remind me of Tim Burton trees and I knew they would make the perfect makeshift table. Apparently Rattlesnake Lake used to be a small town called Moncton the town flooded and is no longer there all that is left is the lake and creepy logged trees. I just kept imagining how cool a wedding would be out there by the water (if it weren't so muddy!) using all of the stumps for tables. When I was deciding on a theme for this shoot I was excited to discover that my birthday was on it's original Friday the 13th date and if you are planning a similar event here is a list of the next freaky Fridays to come. Also, I found so many awesome craft items at the Spirit Store and since Halloween is over everything is 60% off. I hope you enjoy this post, I really enjoyed designing it and I think there will be a lot more table decor and event design posts in the near future.
 

Gothic Bouquet DIY

Ihave these ideas every so often that haunt me until I make them a reality and lately that has been throwing together a table decor post. When I was thinking of a theme it really was a no brain-er to do something centered around my birthday which is on it's original date this year Friday the 13th. I decided I really wanted a large centerpiece but did not want to spend a lot on flowers so I made most of the arrangement with things I already had. Follow the directions below to create a moody-Gothic bouquet or add your own spin on the arrangement.

Ingredients

• Terrarium
• Fake green moss
• Red apples
• Gold skulls (bought from Spirit Halloween and spray painted) 
• Fake spider webs/natural color (also bought from Spirit Halloween everything is 60% off!)
• Branches (Indigenous to the area of the photo shoot to look more natural)
• Large deep red flowers

When making your arrangement make sure you wash your terrarium so it is easy to see inside. Place the moss in the bottom and then press some of the skulls and apples into the moss where they can be seen through the glass. Then take branches and crisscross them throughout the bowl making sure they are evenly distributed. Once you have done that strategically place your red flowers in the bouquet. Once you have your arrangement looking the way you want it take the remaining skulls and sprinkle them over the top even place them inside the red flowers. And there you go! I think this would even look amazing for an off beat bridal bouquet as well.

***Full Gothic Table Setting post will be on the blog Friday, November 13th!***

Savory Fall Stew Recipe

Shopping List

• 1lb to 1.5lb of round steak for stew
• 3 big carrots
• 2 russet potatoes
• 1 cup of petite peas
• 8oz of hunts tomato sauce
• Lawry salt
• Onion salt
• Chopped onion

Pick out a good size pot (you will be making everything in one pot) Put the round steak in the pot and season with Lawry salt and chopped onion to your own digression. Brown the meat and continue turning until it is all browned. Add the tomato sauce and a cup of steamed water and continue to cook and stir for 20 minutes. Add additional water if needed. Cover and continue to cook on a medium heat for at least two hours, check to see if you need to add water.When the meat becomes tender after several hours 2-3, peel the carrots and cut them into small chunks. Let the carrots cook for about 10 minutes in the sauce until tender. Add the russet potato cubed, let cook for 15-20 minutes. Add half a cup of petite peas and then simmer until ready to serve.