Food, Vacation

Seattle Donuts + The Spheres

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Top Pot Donuts

We had many places on our agenda for our first full day in Seattle. Our first stop was Top Pot Doughnuts.

This mini chain has several locations throughout Seattle. Unfortunately, the locations by our hotel were closed (I assume due to COVID) so we had to walk further to their flagship cafe on 5th Street.

I immediately felt welcomed by the library atmosphere courtesy of the floor to ceiling bookshelves.

The cafe did not allow dine-in customers, but I imagine this would be a lovely place to sit and enjoy a coffee and donut.

We ended up ordering a coffee for D and half a dozen donuts. Our intention was to buy four, but the cashier persuaded us to buy six since it was a better deal. (We were easily convinced). We ended up saving two for snacking later in the day. It was a tough decision, but we settled on a lemon, raspberry, maple bar, cookies and cream, apple fritter and a Boston Cream.

The Spheres

The next stop on our itinerary was The Spheres, which is a unique Amazon office space. Isn’t it a head-turner? It is located super close to Top Pot, so we ate our donuts on one of the outside benches. I assume not many people are back in the office, as it was pretty deserted for a weekday morning. How amazing would it be to work here?

The donuts were quite tasty, including this large apple fritter. My favorite was the Boston Cream, although we agreed it had a little too much chocolate on top (didn’t know that was possible!).

I would have loved to take a tour of the inside of The Spheres, but it was closed when we were there. From the outside, we could see that the inside is filled with tons of plants. It reminded me of a life-size terrarium.

Amazon just recently started up free public tours of The Spheres again on the first and third Saturdays of the month. Online reservations are available here.

There is also a cool little outdoor space to enjoy. I think one of the security guards had his eye on us, but we just snapped a few photos and did not cause any trouble.

Even though I did not plan this pairing of eating donuts and visiting The Spheres, it worked out well. It was nice to be able to rest our legs, as we had a full day of sightseeing still ahead of us.

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Food, Reviews, Sponsored

Fuel Your Summer With High Brew Cold-Brew Coffee

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Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

D and I enjoy coffee in all of its forms. However, during the hot days of summer, there is nothing better than cold-brew coffee. We recently had the opportunity to try the High Brew Cold-Brew Coffee Forward Sampler and it is a delicious way to fuel your summer adventures.

This sampler contains a dozen cans total in three different flavors:

  • Black & Bold
  • Double Espresso
  • Creamy Cappuccino

Each serving contains between 130-150 mg of natural caffeine. My favorite is the Double Espresso. It contains a splash of milk and a dash of real sugar, which is exactly how I like my coffee. The coffee flavor is very smooth and not acidic.

My husband was excited about the Creamy Cappuccino flavor since it includes 12 grams of protein.

These High Brew Cold-Brew cans are easy to throw in a cooler and enjoy on your next excursion. They were the perfect drink for our morning at the beach.

Use discount code CoffeeForward10 for 10% off your purchase of a High Brew Cold-Brew Coffee Forward Sampler!

#ForThoseWhoDo #HighBrewCoffee #HighBrew

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Restaurant Reviews, Vacation

Seattle Mariners Baseball Game Experience

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After we checked into our hotel, we did an initial visit to Pike Place Market. I plan on writing one long post to combine all of our visits to this Seattle landmark (3 in total!). We walked back to our hotel and rested for an hour. D had reserved four $10 tickets for us to watch the Seattle Mariners play the Oakland A’s at T-Mobile Park for our first night.

Pre-Game Dinner At Paseo

The game started at 7:10, so I had us grab dinner beforehand at Paseo. Our walk ended up being longer than I had anticipated, and the weather was unusually warm for Seattle that day (mid to upper 80’s!).

We were able to find seating in their outside patio. It took a while for our food to be ready, but we had just eaten at Pike Place, so we were not that hungry. Our order consisted of two Paseo Caribbean Roast Sandwiches, one order of Famous Roasted Corn, and one order of Caribbean Fries. Their sandwiches have been voted one of the best in the country, so I was eager to try them. Here is their description:

The Paseo Caribbean Roast is a legendary & beloved Seattle sandwich. Bursting with intense flavors, the Caribbean Roast harmonizes juicy slow roasted pulled pork, garlic aioli, fresh cilantro, crisp romaine, pickled jalapeños, & caramelized onions.

It was, indeed, a delicious sandwich. Unfortunately, we were not hungry enough to fully appreciate it. I think the roasted corn was the best I have ever had, and the garlic aioli served with the fries was excellent. It was worth the walk!

Seattle Mariners Baseball Game

After dinner, we backtracked to the baseball stadium. Good thing we did not have to pay for parking! I think that attending a baseball game is a good way to get a feel of the local atmosphere.

I did not think that we would make it in time to receive the freebie they were handing out to the first 5,000 fans–PJ pants. However, we lucked out and they still had some left. Too bad they were all size XL! I’ll have to figure out how to do some tailoring.

n couldn’t wait to try them on. D and I also showed a picture of our vaccination card and received a free SEA Us Rise t-shirt (modeled here by D and n).

Our seats in right field were up high, but perfect for viewing the sun set over the Seattle skyline. I would recommend seats in right field just for that view. There was a lot of space between fans, which was nice.

Even though I was not familiar with any of the players, the game was pretty high-scoring and exciting.

It was still light out at 9 p.m.! We ended up leaving after the 7th inning stretch after the A’s went on a run streak (Mariners lost).

We went to sleep way past our usual bedtime, but it was fun to be out on the town for one night.

Now we have night clothes to remind us of our time in Seattle. Thank you, Mariners!

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Food, Giveaways, Reviews, Sponsored

Michel et Augustin Cookie Squares Are Magnifique!

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Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Michel et Augustin is one of those brands that exuberates joy. I recently received a care package from them and just opening this gift box of their Cookie Squares brought a smile to my face.

I immediately fell in love with the bright colors and quirky illustrations. This gift box would surely brighten the recipient’s day!

After reading their back story, I learned that two best friends (Michel and Augustin) started the company in Paris back in 2004.

Their Cookie Squares are delicious morsels of goodness made with ingredients you can find in your own kitchen. They use real butter for the shortbread base, and the result is a perfectly crisp cookie.

These Cookie Squares come in four delicious flavors (three shown here):

The chocolate to shortbread ratio is just right. You can eat a square and not feel over-indulgent. Each resealable bag contains 15 individually wrapped Cookie Squares. They are the perfect treat to share with friends and family.

Where To Purchase Michel et Augustin Cookie Squares

Michel et Augustin Cookie Squares are available for purchase through their online store, Amazon, or at a store near you. I am excited to look for them at my local Costco and Whole Foods.

Michel et Augustin Cookie Squares Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win a Michel et Augustin Cookie Squares variety pack gift box and a “Butter” cap!

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Reviews, Sponsored

Have Fun This Summer With Horizon Group Toys

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Disclosure: I received samples in partnership with Horizon Group USA. All opinions are my own.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

I am so excited that our summer vacation has officially begun! If you are looking for ways to keep your kids busy this summer, I have two ideas from Horizon Group USA.

Animal Tracks!

Animal Tracks! is really three games in one. It comes with 80 full color cards with pictures of a wide variety of animals and animal tracks. The cards can be used to play Concentration, Bingo, or Guess the Tracks. Animal Tracks! would make a great gift for any animal lover. The recommended age is 5+.

The Magic School Bus Back In Time With the Dinosaurs Science Kit

The Magic School Bus Back In Time With The Dinosaurs Science Kit is filled with hours of activities for dinosaur fans.

The kit includes many different components, such as a thermometer, clay, plaster, sand, wooden dinosaur model and watercolor paint. There is also a helpful 20 page manual that guides you through the various activities.

My son loves to build things, so he tackled the dinosaur model first.

Some of the other activities include molding clay dinosaur teeth, making a mold fossil, digging a fossil, designing a diorama, folding 3D dinosaurs, making a cast fossil and creating a timeline. It is pretty amazing how many activities are able to fit in this one box. This kit is recommended for ages 5-12.

Where to Purchase Horizon Group USA STEM and Art Kits

Horizon Group USA makes many different STEM and Art kits that are both educational and fun. Check out more of their offerings at their Amazon store here.

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Food, Reviews, Sponsored

Wiley Wallaby Licorice Is A Wonderful Treat

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Disclosure: I received free product samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Thanks to Tryazon, we had the opportunity to try several varieties of Wiley Wallaby Gourmet Licorice. If you are a fan of licorice, Wiley Wallaby is a brand that you have to taste for yourself.

#MOLDIV

As you can see, this licorice comes in several fun and fruity flavors, including: Watermelon, Green Apple, Blasted Berry, Huckleberry, and Blueberry Pomegranate. I like that their licorice comes in resealable bags. This keeps the licorice fresh and makes Wiley Wallaby an easy snack to take along on your summer adventures.

Each piece of Wiley Wallaby licorice is short and thick. Like the package states, it has a “soft & chewy” consistency. In my opinion, what makes this licorice stand out is that the fruit flavors really come through. The watermelon flavor really does taste like watermelon!

I am a fan of sour candies, and Wiley Wallaby Sourrageous Drops definitely bring the sour. I like the blend of flavors: Lemon, Green Apple and Watermelon. This would be a good bag to bring to the movie theater (if and when you are ready for that type of activity).

#MOLDIV

These individually wrapped pieces of Wiley Wallaby licorice are so cute. I packaged them in groups of three in cellophane bags as a little party favor. The red, white and blue packaging is perfect for 4th of July celebrations.

Wiley Wallaby Amazon Discount Code

Use Amazon discount code TRYWILEY21 to get 20% off Wiley Wallaby licorice. 1 redemption per customer. This is valid June 1st -20th on the following products:

#wileywallaby #wileywallabylicorice #Tryazon

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Vacation

Summer Vacation in Seattle

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We originally planned a family trip to Seattle in March 2020. Unfortunately, we had to cancel (for obvious reasons) but we re-booked and went last week. D and I had visited the Emerald City once before, pre-kids. It was fun to introduce the kids to the sights we had been to and experience new ones as well. I did my usual thorough travel-planning and we had a packed 6 days/5 nights. If you are considering a visit to Seattle, I highly recommend it!

Flying Alaska Airlines During Covid

I know some people are still weary about air travel right now, but I felt comfortable. We brought sanitizing wipes for the airplane seats and sprayed our hands with hand sanitizer often. All of our fellow passengers dutifully wore their masks, and the flight attendants reminded people to cover their noses.

I thought everything was going smoothly and our plane would take off on time. However, after waiting on the runway for a while, the pilot made an announcement that we had to turn around and go back to our gate. Our plane had been re-routed due to heavy air traffic so we needed a fill-up of more than 1,000 pounds of additional fuel! The whole process delayed us by about an hour. I felt sorry for the passengers who had a connecting flight.

We flew on Alaska Airlines and this was our snack.

k noted that the message on the napkin made a lot more sense than the message on the pamphlet (haha).

The snack mix on our way home included plane-shaped pretzels. Cute, right?

Seattle Light Rail

Instead of renting a car, we relied on public transportation and walking. Lots of walking.

Seattle’s light rail system took us straight from SEA-TAC airport to a block away from our hotel.

Courtyard Marriott Seattle Downtown/Pioneer Square

The Courtyard by Marriott Seattle Downtown/Pioneer Square proved to be an excellent home base for our exploration of the city. I really appreciated being able to walk to many attractions and that the light rail station was so close by. Shout out to Raul, who was at the front desk and checked us in. His enthusiastic love for the city was quite evident and welcoming.

I am not sure if it is because we had a corner unit, but our room was larger than I expected.

One thing that we were not prepared for during this Covid time was that housekeeping needed to be requested. D was able to do this easily by texting the front desk through the Marriott app. (He was also able to reserve the fitness room and the pool through the app which was very convenient). We just requested our basic needs: fresh towels, emptying of trash bins and coffee.

It is always nice to have a refrigerator and microwave. This coffee machine also received a lot of use even though we had plenty of coffee-drinking opportunities elsewhere.

I don’t think we ever heard any noise from other hotel guests during our entire stay. However, the noise from the streets (trash trucks, alarms, random yelling) was pretty loud at times. That’s life in the big city, I guess.

Our view wasn’t the greatest, but I kind of liked this window facing a brick wall. k said it had character. I ended up taking a lot of food pics here, as you will see in future posts. More to come…

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Food, Giveaways, Reviews, Sponsored

Real Treat Pantry Cookies Are An Afternoon Treat

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Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

While I am disappointed that Expo West could not be held in person this year, I am grateful to be able to connect with brands through the online platform. One brand that immediately appealed to me is Real Treat. Their USDA Organic cookies recently became the first organic cookie to win a coveted Gold SOFI Award, and their Real Treat Pantry line is a current finalist for a Nexty Award (EDIT: They won!).

The Real Treat Pantry line of organic cookies uses high quality natural ingredients that you can feel good about serving your kids (or eating yourself)! They come in four delicious flavors:

All of the Real Treat Pantry cookies are the perfect size for a snack and have just the right amount of sweetness. I especially enjoyed the Dark Chocolate Cookies with Almonds and Sea Salt. The hint of sea salt provides a nuanced flavor that really makes these cookies stand out.

The Brown Sugar Shortbread cookies pair nicely with a cup of afternoon tea.

I followed the suggestion on the package of the Chocolate Chunk cookies, and put them in our toaster oven for 3 minutes at 250F. There is nothing like a warm cookie with melty chocolate paired with a glass of cold milk!

My kids agree that Real Treat Pantry Cookies are a welcome after school treat. (They would also make a delectable summer afternoon treat as well!)

Where To Purchase Real Treat Cookies

Real Treat Cookies are available for purchase through their online store, and at a store near you.

Real Treat Pantry Cookies Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win a 4-Pack Bundle of Real Treat Pantry Cookies! Open to Continental U.S. and Canada residents only.

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KÜHL RADIKL Pants Are Truly Versatile

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Disclosure: I received a sample in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

My husband employs a minimalist approach to his wardrobe. He has a set amount of jeans and khaki pants/shorts which he wears everywhere: home, work (both in the office and now at his “home” office), as well as when we are out and about. However, during a recent backpacking trip with our son, D realized that none of the pants he owned were ideal for hiking. Coincidentally, D recently had the opportunity to try KÜHL pants and they successfully filled in the gap in his wardrobe.

These are the KÜHL RADIKL pants, Klassik Fit, in Carbon. These pants are made with exclusive ENDURO™ fabric, which provides both anti-abrasion and sun protection (UPF 50+).

According to my husband, these pants are super comfortable because they are lightweight and flexible. They would definitely be a good choice for an outdoor adventure.

These pants also feature seven pockets, which provide plenty of storage. However, because the pockets are not bulky, these pants have a slimmer silhouette. These pants are stylish, yet quite versatile, which appeals to my utilitarian husband.

I have a feeling that these KÜHL RADIKL pants will be seeing a lot of wear this summer and for years to come.

Where To Purchase KÜHL Apparel

KÜHL apparel (for both men and women) is available for purchase through their online store, or at a store near you.

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Giveaways, Reviews, Sponsored

Zulay Kitchen Shears Are A Kitchen Necessity

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Disclosure: I received a sample in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of them and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

A pair of kitchen shears is one of those tools that you may not realize you need until after you have tried them. I had a pair of trusty kitchen shears that I never really thought twice about. That is, until one day they disappeared! Since then, there have been many instances when I still want to grab my kitchen shears because I know they are the best tool for the job at hand. After searching and high and low for my kitchen shears (seriously, where could they have gone?), I am excited that I finally found an excellent replacement.

The high quality of the Zulay Kitchen Multi-Purpose Kitchen Shears is apparent as soon as you hold them in your hand. They look and feel like a tool that will last a long time. The blades are quite sharp, and are made from heavy duty stainless steel.

These Zulay kitchen scissors are handy for snipping off herbs in the garden.

I also tried these shears out for chopping up green onions and it was much easier and neater than using a knife.

The Zulay Kitchen Multi-Purpose Kitchen Shears are also suitable for more heavy-duty jobs such as cutting frozen meat and raw steak, scraping fish scales, cracking nuts and crab legs, cutting rose bushes and slicing through cardboard and hard plastic. I already find myself using these kitchen scissors for multiple tasks throughout the day and wonder how I let myself go without them for so long.

Where To Purchase Zulay Kitchen Products + Discount Code

Zulay Kitchen offers a wide range of kitchenware that is available for purchase through the Zulay Kitchen website. Use discount code LIMBYLIM10 at checkout to receive a 10% discount!

Zulay Kitchen Multi-Purpose Kitchen Shears Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a pair of Zulay Kitchen Multi-Purpose Kitchen Shears!

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