Jellybeans in the City

Pizza takeaway at Pagliacci Pizza, Lake Forest Park, WA

For my family’s second night in the Evergreen State, and knowing that my little boy is a certified pizza monster, my bro decided to just take out some pizzas for dinner.

And his choice for pizzas? Pagliacci Pizza!

First opened in the University District in 1979 by an Italian family who just “wanted a place where we can get good pizza,” it eventually grew into a place where people gather for a good pizza meal.

It is also among the first restaurants in the area to make strides in growing greener by composting in its kitchens and dining areas, as well as ensuring that most of the packaging it uses are either conpostable or recyclable. Its operations also uses green power sourced from renewable energy sources in the Pacific Northwest.

However, Pagliacci Pizza’s claims to fame are the pizzas it serves which make imaginative use of local and seasonal ingredients to come up with specialty flavors and variants.

To satisfy the pizza cravings of everyone in the group, my bro took home:

The Original (USD13.99 for 11″). Pagliacci’s signature cheese pizza made with whole-milk mozzarella and our seasoned tomato sauce on hand-tossed dough, baked on bricks. This is perfect for my little boy (who’s crazy about all-cheese pizzas).

Extra Pepperoni (USD24.99 for 17″). A blanket of pepperoni covers a layer of mozzarella and Pagliacci’s seasoned tomato sauce.

Parma Primo (USD29.99 for 17″). A layer of prosciutto, mushrooms, goat cheese, mozzarella over olive oil, and finished with tomatoes and basil after done baking. Then flavors of the prosciutto and goat cheese go well together and are further enhanced by the earthy taste of the mushrooms and the fresh flavors of the basil leaves.

Well, we can definitely say that our pizza cravings are satisfied! My little boy, in particular, happily wolfed down his cheese pizza slices.

This Pagliacci Pizza outlet is located at 20059 Ballinger Way, Northeast, Lake Forest Park, 98155, open Sundays to Thursdays from 11am to 11pm and Fridays to Saturdays from 11am to 12 midnight.

Other branches are located at:

Ballard (85th Street): 851 NW 85th St.Seattle, WA 98117
Broadway: 426 Broadway East, Seattle, WA 98102
Capitol Hill (Miller St): 2400 10th Ave. E, Seattle, WA 98102
Columbia City: 4901 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118
Fremont (Stone Way): 4003 Stone Way N, Seattle, WA 98103
Lake City Way: 8024 15th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA 98115
Edmonds: 10200 Edmonds Way,Edmonds, WA 98020
Madison: 3015 E Madison Street, Seattle, WA 98112
Magnolia: 1614 W Dravus Street, Seattle, WA 98119
Greenwood (145th Street): 315 N 145th St., Seattle, WA 98133
Queen Anne: 550 Queen Anne Ave North, Seattle, WA 98109
Sand Point: 6224 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115
West Seattle: 4449 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
Bridle Trails: 13005 NE 70th Place, Kirkland, WA 98033
Juanita: 11640 98th Ave. NE, Kirkland, WA 98034
Crossroads: 15238 Bel-Red Road, Bellevue, WA 98007
Kenmore: 6504 NE Bothell Way, Kenmore, WA 98028
Old Bellevue (Main Street): 8-100th Ave. NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
Mercer Island: 3077 78th Ave SE, Mercer Island , WA 98040
Sammamish: 22830 NE 8th St, Sammamish, WA 98074

For deliveries, call 206 7261717 or 425 4531717.

Enjoying the wind, waves and wildlife at Cannon Beach, OR

The weekend before the fam’s epic road trip to San Francisco, my bro took us to see the beauty of the Oregon Coast, particularly the Cannon Beach area.

It is nearly four miles of publicly accessible fine-sand beaches with a huge rock formation called Haystack Rock rising out 235 feet from the shore’s edge. It was formed 17 millions years ago by the same lava flows that created many of the headlands and rock formations that make up the Oregon Coast. We were fortunate that it was easily accessible during our visit due to low tide.

Haystack Rock is actually a National Wildlife Refuge where visitors can observe tidepools teeming with marine life. Tidepool creatures such as soft-bodied anemones, tidepool fishes and sea slugs are interesting to look at but are extremely fragile and may be senstive to exposure to air and sun. Visitors are advised to refrain from touching or moving the creatures they encounter in the tidepools.

How do you catch sight of these creatures? Here are some tips from the locals:

Be patient. You may need to take some time to see them.
Be still. Crabs, small fish, snails and see slugs nestled under rocks and seaweed may not be immediately visible.
Be careful. Walk on the sand or bare rock to avoid stepping on and harming living creatures like barnacles and mussels.

Haystack Rock is also an active nesting spot for many seabirds. Tufted puffins, in particular, are easily observable from spring to summer.

During quieter seasons, herds of Roosevelt Elk are sometimes known to emerge from the thick forests to graze along the coastal meadows, while Gray Whales make their annual migration.

The wide expanse of sand also makes a great venue for jogging, walking with dogs, or just hanging out with family or friends.

Well, our group certainly took advantage of the photo opps that the place afforded!

Interested in visiting? Here are other attractions nearby that you may want to include in your itinerary:

Ecola State Park. It boasts of easy walking paths, hiking trails and picnic areas, brrathtaking views of the historic Tillamook Rock Lighthouse and vantage areas for bird- and whale-watching.

Arcadia Beach. Located two miles south of Cannon Beach, it offers beach access to Lion Rock and beach walks to Hug Point to the south and Silver Point to the north.
Oswald West State Park. Stretching four miles along a temperate rainforest, this affords visitors with a picturesque secluded sandy beach and hiking trails that lead to awesome views of the Pacific Ocean.

For more details or help in planning your visit to Cannon Beach, visit CannonBeach.org.

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen: A rediscovery of sisterhood and magic

Two sisters grappling about their magical heritage, seeking acceptance from the other inhabitants of their small town. After years apart, they reunite, discover and appreciate their true selves while coming to terms with their past and win true love in the process.

In Sarah Addison Allen’s debut novel Garden Spells, magical realism, heartwarming romance and small-town sensibility combine to bring to life the warm and engaging story of sisters Claire and Sidney Waverly. Brought back to their ancestral house in Bascom, North Carolina by their mother after a life on the road, they grew up feeling isolated from their neighbors.

Claire, the older and “plainer” sister, took comfort in her magical talent with plants and cooking and builds a successful career as a caterer.

Sidney, on the other hand was seemingly blessed with beauty but without magical talent. She ran away and lived a life on the road until she returns with her daughter trying to escape an abusive relationship.

Together with their elderly cousin, Evanelle, their love interests, their supportive neighbors, their town rivals, and with the help of the enchanted apple tree that their family has been tending for centuries, the sisters discover their innate powers and their place in their small town.

The book’s style and structure bear similarities to other works in women’s literature that feature magical realism. With Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman, it shares the plot element of two very different sisters reuniting and finding love in their small town after years apart. Like Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel, on the other hand, it features the effects of food on people susceptible to magical ingredients.

I picked up this book during a booksale two years ago and only found time to read it when I brought it with me on a trip. I find the book’s humor and homey feel very endearing, and its lesson on self-acceptance quite relevant. This book is a great for a bit of light and easy reading.

I look forward to reading Addison’s recently released sequel titled First Frost set a few years after Garden Spells. In this novel, the Waverly girls have grown into their magical abilities while facing their daily struggles. One day, an unexpected stranger appears in their little town with a sinister intent.

Other works by Sarah Addison Allen include:

Lost Lake. Sometimes you find the things you’ve lost in the most unexpected places. But sometimes you find them exactly where you left them. Welcome to magical Lost Lake, Georgia.

The Girl Who Chased the Moon. Emily Benedict is about to find out if wallpaper can change pattern on its own, if a cake can bring back a lost love, and if there really is a ghost dancing in her back yard.

The Sugar Queen. Imagine a world where the color red has startling powers and passion can make eggs fry in their cartons. Welcome to snowy Bald Slope, North Carolina. There’s magic behind every closet door.

The Peach Keeper. Welcome to Walls of Water, North Carolina, where the secrets are thicker than the fog from the town’s famous waterfalls, and the stuff of superstition is just as real as you want it to be.

Waking Kate. Over a cup of butter coffee, Kate’s neighbor tells her a story of love and heartbreak that makes her remember her past, question her present, and wonder what the future will bring.

The Firefly Dance. Addison anchors this anthology with her funny novella about Louise, a North Carolina girl whose keen observations of the lives around her weaves an unforgettable spell with just a hint of everyday magic.

For more details or to buy any of these books on Amazon.com, simply click on the titles.

Book details taken from Sarah Addison Allen’s website and Amazon.com.

Check out my other blog posts on my favorite books:

This post contains affiliate links.

What to teach kids about traveling

Traveling is a rewarding activity for many of us. Going to unfamiliar places broadens our horizons by exposing us to novel experiences, diverse cultures and to new friends.

It can be more so for kids; taking them on out adventures into the wider world affords us opportunities to teach them lessons that will prove valuable to them in the future, not just when they venture out on their own trips, but as they go through their daily life.

Here are some of the lessons that you can impart to your kids as you go on the road.

One: How to travel light.

There is a limit to what you can take with you as you move from one place to another. Whether it depends on what your body can carry or the luggage capacity of your means of transportation, this limit forces you to prioritize which of your possessions will be of most use to you as you travel.

You will need to guide your little ones as they pick and choose items for the trip such as clothes that are easy to clean, those that don’t take up much space in your luggage and their essential toiletries.

Two: How to keep themselves entertained.

Not every moment you spend traveling will be exciting or interesting. You can expect downtimes when you can either rest or find a way to occupy your time.

The little ones may get antsy or bored during long wait periods or while in transit. So it would be wise to plan ahead with them on how they can keep themselves entertained while still packing light. They will need to leave behind their bulky game consoles in favor of easy-to-carry books, a pack of cards, and, with your permission of course, mobile electronics.

You can also take the opportunity to point out the sceneries you’re passing through or fill them in on the places where you’re going to drum up their excitement or spike their interest.

Three: How to discover on their own.

Some kids are adventurous by nature. They will want to strike out on their own. Nurture this inclination by helping them identify interesting places where they can safely venture out by themselves such as parks or play areas, with you keeping yourself easily accessible to them should they need you.

Of course, you will need to equip for their quest. Teach them to read maps and road signs, agree on places where they can meet up with you and point out places they can go to in case they need help.

Four: How to keep themselves safe.

Foremost among our concerns as parents is the safety of our kids. When traveling, little ones should be instructed to always stay near or within your sight, to be wary of strangers and to keep your contact details handy so that they can ask someone to get in touch with you should you get separated.

Five: How to stay on budget.

A big consideration in traveling is, of course, our budget. There may be times when the things you want to buy or the activities you want to experience may be beyond your means. Usually, you prioritize those that are more affordable or you limit yourself to those that are essential to your travel experience.

Similarly, you need to help your kids understand that they won’t be able to buy all their hearts’ desires during the trip. You can negotiate with them on which purchases you can afford that they can still enjoy.

Six: How to be good guests.

Remember, no matter which place you visit, you are basically visitors there. You and the kiddies should therefore behave as good guests. Aside from being polite to the people that you meet, you would also need to brush up on the basics of local customs so as not to offend anyone.

Furthermore, it is important to respect the local environment by following their conservation laws and cleanliness practices. As the famous quote among travellers goes:

Leave nothing but footprints.

Take nothing but pictures.

Kill nothing but time.

Seven: How to be thankful.

Not everyone has the means and opportunity to travel. It is therefore important for the kids to realize and appreciate the fact that they are able to.

For me, the best way to be thankful for opportunities such as these is to make the most of them in terms of learning and enjoyment.

Planning a trip with the kiddies any time soon? Do share your tips for traveling with kids.

An immersive coffee experience at Starbucks Reserve Roastery, Seattle

Seattle, WA is the birthplace of Starbucks. My love affair with this coffee brand is well-known among my nears-and-dears (and well-documented on this blog, too!)

Well, on my second visit to the Evergreen State, this time with my family in tow, I made sure to drop by the mecca for coffee lovers right here in Seattle: the Starbucks Reserve Roastery.

Located just nine blocks from Starbucks’ original store near the Pike Place Market, it is one of the largest Starbucks outlets in the world, occupying 15,000 square feet of space, all dedicated to the company’s pursuit of coffee innovations.

Here, visitors can look forward to a unique and immersive combination of coffee experiences, such as witnessing the on-site brewing of rare Starbucks Reserve coffees, tasting an ever-evolving beverage menu, watching, tasting and learning eight distinct coffee preparation methods, perusing an expansive library of coffee-related tomes, and chatting with a staff of Certified Starbucks Coffee Masters who simply love talking about their craft.

The experience starts in the Main Bar where you can order your cup of choice or allow the Coffee Masters to recommend a perfect handcrafted drink for you, made with the store’s freshly roasted, rare coffee beans.

Here, the kids and I enjoyed 12oz glasses of Cold Brew Malt, a treat from my bro. This drink is a thick malted milkshake made with Starbucks’ cold brew coffee spindle-blended with Mora’s vanilla ice cream and chocolate bitters.

Bro-in-law, on the other hand, a Matcha Teavana Tea Latte, one of the store’s non-coffee drinks.

Next, at the Scooping Bar, a Coffee Master can advise you on which Starbucks Reserve coffee best suits your taste and you can take home a freshly scooped bag.

At the Handpicked at the Roastery, your inner Starbucks fan can truly come out and play. With a plethora of carefully curated merchandise from Starbucks’ artisan partners, from coffee-brewing equipment from all over the world, coffeeware ranging from quaint-kitschy to posh and wearables that proudly announce your love for coffee, you can take a piece of Starbucks home with you.

At the Mixology Bar, get a shot or two of signature cocktails and spirit-free drinks inspired by Starbucks Reserve coffee and Teavana teas. I’ll probably return here – sans the little one – for a more spirited coffee experience.

Starbucks partnered with Rocco Princi to bring a taste of the Spirito di Milano to its customers. At Princi, you can treat yourself to artisan breads, freshly baked pastries and pizzas, as well as delectable desserts which are best enjoyed with your cup of Starbucks Reserve coffee.

Want to get lost in your own coffee story? Head on to the Experience Bar where you can go on themed coffee tasting flights, guided tours by Starbucks’ Coffee Masters where exploratory brew methods and immersive storytelling will only deepen your love for your favorite brews.

For a bookworm like me, the Coffee Library is a destination in itself. Climb up the steps so you can pore over 200-plus books dedicated to coffee. It also offers a great view of the entire roasting operation.

A trip to the Starbucks Reserve Roastery is always a worthwhile activity for coffee lovers who find themselves in Seattle. I plan to return before my trip ends to have a more leisurely journey across the bars and stations.

This Starbucks Reserve Roastery is located at 1124 Pike Street, Seattle, WA, 98101, open daily from 7am to 11pm. For more details, call (206)624-0173 or visit www.starbucksreserve.com.

Check out my previous posts on Starbucks:

Check out the other restos I’ve tried in the Washington state area:

Birthday Lunch at Lola Cafe, Tomas Morato

I’m blessed to have coworkers who like to celebrate milestones with a good meal.

An officemate’s birthday falls within a few weeks of mine so two of our former bosses decided to treat us out to a joint birthday lunch.

And for that, Lola Cafe is our best bet, considering its proximity to our workplace, its Instagrammable modern interiors and its menu of imaginatively prepared homey dishes.

Similar to other restaurants in the Tomas Morato area, Lola Cafe was built from a renovated house. It boasts of a sizeable parking area (a big plus in this vicinity), a high-ceilinged bar area, and a dining area that combines the old architectural layout with a modern black and white aesthetic and a refreshing view of the lush green space outside.

Lola Cafe serves Filipino food that makes use local ingredients in imaginative ways such as:

Crispy Tinapa (Php220 for solo). Tinapa, bits of ripe mango, kesong puti tossed in romaine lettuce and arugula with slightly sweet and citrusy honey dalandan dressing.

Baked Tahong Express (Php220). Baked mussels generously topped with mozzarella, garlic, Bicol Express sauce and green chilis.

Tartufo (Php295 for solo). Spaghetti noodles tossed in a cream sauce with truffle oil and portobello mushroom.

Shrimp Aligue (Php295 for solo). Spaghetti noodles tossed with plump shrimp in a rich and decadent cream sauce of crab fat and kesong puti.

Lola Fried Chicken (Php310 for solo). Juicy pieces of chicken thighs in garlic butter sauce.

Prawns in Aligue (Php420 for solo). Succulent poached prawns in a spicy sauce of crab fat, chili garlic and lemon butter.

Mango Pavlova (Php160). Crunchy cashew meringue and bits of mango layered with chantilly cream.

Kesong Puti Cheesecake (Php220). A rich cheesecake made of kesong puti topped with bukayo (sweetened coconut strips) and salted latik (caramelized coconut cream).

These delicious dishes, Lola Cafe’s attentive staff and the awesome company helped to make that birthday lunch truly memorable.

Since Lola Cafe is a Zomato Gold partner establishment, and all four of us unlocked or Zomato Gold privilege, our group got some of our food orders for free!

Zomato Gold provides members with 1+1 (Buy 1 Get 1) deals on food or 2+2 (Buy 2 Get 2) deals on drinks. All you have to do is sign up for a Zomato Gold membership here. Use my code JELLYB to get 20% off the membership fee.

Lola Cafe is located at 99 Scout Lozano Street, Laging Handa, Quezon City, open Mondays to Thursdays from 11.30am to 10pm, Fridays to Saturdays from 11.30am to 11pm, and Sundays from 10.30am to 9pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 5012620 or +63 917 8176045.

Another branch recently opened at the Fifth Floor, The Podium, ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City.

Morning Sweets from Top Pot Doughnuts, Bothell

This morning, bro decided to rush over to the Bothell branch of Top Pot Doughnuts for our breakfast.

Top Pot Doughnuts is one of Seattle’s homegrown coffee and doughnut shops. It came about in a small brick storefront in north Capitol Hill, and now boasts of several branches in Washington and Texas.

The store’s interiors blend the vintage aesthetic with a cozy feel, a nice and quiet place to enjoy your morning sweets.

If, however, you feel like munching on your doughnuts while enjoying the brisk morning air and the beginnings of the day’s sunshine, head on outdoors.

Today, however, bro had the doughnuts to-go, so a dozen of these freshly-made treats were waiting for us when we came down for breakfast.

The ones I was able to taste include:

Raspberry Bismark Filled Doughnut. A decadent doughnut plump and heavy because it’s filled to bursting with raspberry filling.

Salted Caramel Old-Fashioned Doughnut. One of Top Pot Doughnuts most popular variants, this doughnut is crumbly on the outside and moist on the inside, which sets off its salted caramel topping quite nicely.

Pink Icing Feather Boa Doughnut. One of the store’s signature cake doughnuts, this has the exotic combination of sweet pink icing and coconut shavings.

These lovely treats were a sweet start to the day!

And here’s a cute bit of trivia for you: Top Pot got its name from an old, rusty vintage neon sign that the owners bought from a boarded-up Chinese restaurant named “Topspot.” After years in storage before being repaired, the “S” fell off, leaving the words “Top Pot.” They decided to adopt this name, as a way of blending the old with the new.

This Top Pot Doughnuts branch is located at 18001 Bothell Everett Highway, Bothell, WA 98012, open weekdays from 6am to 6pm and weekends from 7am to 6pm. For inquiries, call 206-631-2061.

Other branches are located at:

609 Summit Ave E, Seattle, WA 98102 (Tel: 206-323-7841)
2124 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98121 (Tel: 206-728-1966)
6855 35th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115 (Tel: 206-525-1966)
325 West Galer, Seattle, WA 98119 (Tel: 206-631-2120)
10600 NE 9th Place, Bellevue, WA 98004 (Tel: 425-457-7440)
1235 Maple Street, Issaquah, WA 98027 (Tel: 425-270-6161)
720 Third Ave, Seattle, WA 98104 (Tel: 206-454-3694)
1416 NW 46th Street, Seattle, WA 98107 (Tel: 206-454-3767)
590 Terry Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109 (Tel: 206-995-8296)
16095 Cleveland St, Redmond, WA 98052 (Tel: 425-497-8002)
815 N 10th Street #F, Renton, WA 98057 (Tel: 425-291-7483)
1206 Madison Street, Seattle, WA 98104 (Tel: 206-708-7244)
888 Western Avenue Suite E, Seattle, WA 98104 (Tel: 206-466-1729)
11701 97th Lane NE, Kirkland, WA 98034 (Tel: 425-307-1540)
2758 Alki Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98116 (Tel: 206-466-6839)
101 Stewart Street, Seattle, WA 98101 (Tel: 206-269-5066)
2724 N Proctor Street, Tacoma, WA 98407 (Tel: 253-433-3852)
150 Sunset Ave S, Edmonds, WA 98020 (Tel: 425-582-2579)

For more details, visit www.toppotdoughnuts.com.

Check out the other restos I’ve tried in the Washington state area:

Ramen dinner at Hokkaido Ramen Santouka, Bellevue

I’ve been going through my #RamenPhase for several years now and it shows no sign of abating.

And why should it?

Slurping on some tasty, steaming-hot ramen is one of the most comforting things to do, specially on a chilly spring evening in the first week of my family’s visit to the Pacific Northwest.

That night, we ventured out to the beautiful city of Bellevue for dinner after a round of malling. From the mall, we walked across the Bellevue Downtown Park to the local branch of Hokkaido Ramen Santouka to enjoy the crisp spring air and to work up our appetites.

This ramen restaurant is quite familiar to us as it has several outlets in the Metro Manila. It has become one of go-to ramen places because of its tasty ramen and katsu dishes that fave become family favorites.

The restaurant was founded in Asahikawa, Hokkaido in Japan by Hitoshi Hatanaka when he produced the tonkotsu (pork bone) soup, the flavorful base of the restaurant’s ramen dishes. The soup is made by hand in all of the chain’s outlets in Japan and abroad; the process involves simmering the pork bones for twenty hours, then adding in vegetables, dried fish, kelp and other savory ingredients as well as seasonings, resulting in a mild but tasty broth. Hokkaido Ramen Santouka’s bowls are also specially made, with a specific thickness that slows the cooling down of the broth, allowing diners to enjoy their ramen in steaming-hot soup for as long as possible.

Upon arriving, we entered our name in the tablet provided so that we can be part of the wait list, one of the innovations that we haven’t yet encountered back home.

The place was cozy and frenetic with activity, from new customers being ushered in and the orders and requests being called out.

For tonight’s meal, our group got for ourselves several orders of our favorites:

Shio Ramen. The restaurant’s signature dish featuring a milky white salt-based broth, firm hand-pulled noodles, slices of marinated chashu pork belly and more.

Neginanban Ramen. The resto’s spiciest ramen variant topped with chashu, fried onions, onions and jalapenos.

Karamiso Ramen. A miso-based ramen with bit of red chilis to spice it up.

Tonkatsu. Deep-fried pork cutlet covered in crispy panko breadcrumbs and served with a tangy katsu sauce.

With our ramen and katsu orders, we also availed of sides such as the aji-tama (soft-boiled egg marinated in a soy-based sauce) and gyoza (pan-fried dumplings filled with minced pork).

With our dinner at Hokkaido Ramen Santouka, the fam was able to enjoy some of the flavors we love back home right here in Bellevue.

This Hokkaido Ramen Santouka branch is located at 103 Bellevue Way, NE, Suite 3, Bellevue, WA 98004, open daily from 11am to 9pm. For inquiries or reservations, call +1 425 4620141.

For more details, visit www.santouka-usa.com.

Check out the other restos I’ve tried in the Washington State area:

Ice Cream Time at Diamond Knot, Mukilteo

One afternoon, after sightseeing at the Mukilteo Lighthouse Park, my bro treated the fam to ice cream at the nearby Diamond Knot Brewery and Alehouse.

Diamond Knot first made a name for itself for its craft beers made by the company founders Bob Maphet and Brian Sollenberger. It was named after the cargo ship the Diamond Knot which was wrecked in 1947 and is now a renowned dive sites in the Pacific Northwest. The company serves as a tribute by the founders – both of whom are avid divers – to the salvage crew of the original Diamond Knot, for their perseverance; they aimed to replicate the tenacity of salvage crew in their own struggles in educating the local market about craft beer.

For our late afternoon sweet treat, the focus was on the hand-scooped ice cream that can be ordered to-go through one of the restaurant’s windows, which include:

Huckleberry. Smooth and creamy ice cream that features the sweet and tart taste of local huckleberries.

Chocolate Chip Mint. The rich sweetness of chocolate chips mixed into a fresh minty ice cream.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. A yummy ice cream mixed with chocolate chips and bits of cookie dough.

These yummy frozen treats are priced USD3 for single scoop and USD5.5 for double scoops, with additional USD0.5 for a sugar cone and USD1 for a waffle cone.

These frozen goodies were just the right treats for the fam to enjoy on that beautiful sunny afternoon.

Diamond Knot Brewery and Alehouse is located at 621 Front Street, Mukilteo, WA 98275, open weekdays from 10am to 1am and weekends from 8am to 1am. For inquiries, call (425) 5128080.

For more details, visit www.diamondknot.com.

Check out the other restos I’ve tried in the Washington State area:

Breakfast Takeout at 85C Bakery Cafe, Lynnwood

Yesterday, the second day of our family in the Evergreen State, my brother took us to his favorite pastry shop, 85C Bakery Cafe.

85C got its name from its belief that coffee holds its flavor best at a steady temperature of 85 degrees Celsius. Its name is a statement of the cafe’s commitment to serving handcrafted coffee of the highest quality.

Each 85C store has its own in-shop bakery with a wide variety of pastries baked fresh every hour.

These pastries were the reason for our visit yesterday afternoon: the plan was to buy some of the store’s freshly baked goods for our breakfast the next day. Our loot included:

Milk Toast (USD3.00). A loaf with a fresh and natural milk taste.

Taro Puff Pastry (USD2.50). This puff pastry is light, flaky, and layered with delicious taro filling inside.

Milk Pudding (USD2.00). A traditional Japanese style soft bread with vanilla custard inside.

Garlic Cheese (USD2.00). A soft textured bread topped with our signature garlic spread, mozzarella cheese, and sprinkled with fresh parsley.

Cheese Dog (USD2.20). Soft bread wrapped around a hot dog, with cheddar & mozzarella cheese. Baked with ketchup, light mayo, black pepper and dry parsley.

Marble Taro (USD3.00). A sweet bread made with mixed grains and filled with signature taro filling.

This morning, I had the Milk Pudding and Taro Puff Pastry for my meal while I was enjoying the crisp morning air.

While it would be optimal to consume the pastries as soon as bought but they still tasted great with my morning coffee this morning.

This 85C Bakery Cafe outlet is located at 18700A 33rd Avenue W Lynnwood, WA 98037. For inquiries, call (425) 6722885.

Another outlet may be found at 501 S Jackson Street, Seattle, WA 98104.

For more details, visit www.85cbakerycafe.com.