Earlier this month we attended an event hosted by AT&T at David Barton Gym in Bellevue, WA. Along with Seattle area tech, parenting and lifestyle bloggers and reporters, we got to test the newest wearable technology from Jawbone during a workout with one of the gym’s fitness trainers.
As excited as we were for the event, I must admit we spent a crazy amount of time right here in the entrance to the gym with its gorgeous wood detailing. 
by Tyler, editor and reviewer
A few weeks ago we got to hang out with my pals Aaron Paul and Scott Waugh for a bit when they came to Seattle for a press screening of their new film, Need for Speed. We talked about fast cars, explosions, and what it's like doing stunt work while driving around cars worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Not impressed yet? What if I told you that I also got to hang out with Sir Mix-A-Lot before the movie started? Oh, yeah, this happened. 
by Tyler, editor and reviewer
When I get in the KIA Optima Hybrid, I get the sudden urge to just drive. Cross state lines and head out and see the world. There is something about having run your errands all week without filling up and still seeing 450 miles until empty that makes it feel like a challenge.
Go on, open up the sunroof and crank some tunes, because we have some driving to do.
by Tyler, editor and reviewer
As much as I love SUVs, I’m really a car guy. I drive around a big and clunky work truck all day, so there’s nothing I love better than being able to hop in a car and zip around town when I get home. It’s so much more engaging and effortless, not to mention much easier to find parking.
That being said, I immediately took to the 2014 KIA Forte as soon as it arrived for our test drive. Since these days we travel with a full crew 4 door sedans are very much a part of our world and I’ve been curious about this compact sedan for a while. The one concern I did have beforehand was size, but I was pleasantly surprised by how big inside the Forte is, since in my mind the Forte might have been a bit small for us.
There’s a special spot in my heart for the first big animated Disney movies of my childhood. I grew up with Ariel and Belle, and all things princess. Their stories shaped my own games and imaginative play of my youth and their songs still get stuck in my head to this day.
But as much as I love The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, seeing Disney's Frozen this week made me long for a childhood with Anna and Elsa instead. I’m very grateful that this movie is that pivotal one for my daughter and I get to relive that with her with a movie I truly love.
There’s something very, very special about Disney's Frozen. I knew I was going to like it from the first preview, but it wasn’t even two minutes in when I knew this was my absolute favorite Disney movie to date.
In fact, it is one of my favorite movies, ever. It’s that good.
Maybe it’s the sister theme, which hit home for me with 3 sisters whom I’m very close to, or maybe it was the laugh out loud humor, or the heart that went into each and every scene. Or maybe it’s all of that and more.
Most people pay almost no attention to the tires on their cars, which floors me. Those 4 tires are what connects your car to the road and what keeps you rolling, yet they don’t get nearly the amount of love they deserve.
3 years ago, I was hit while driving on the freeway and my car lost control, spinning and eventually coming to a stop in oncoming traffic. Ever since then, I am petrified of losing control while driving and even something minor like a little bit of ice or water over a roadway sends me into a panic. Since tires can make a huge difference in what traction you get in inclement weather, tires are very, very important to me.
As you can imagine, I was thrilled when I heard I would get the opportunity to outfit one of our vehicles with Goodyear's newest tire, the Eagle Sport All-Season later this year. I’m really excited to take my car in and trade in my old tires for these new high-performance tires just in time for the rainy and icy seasons.
For over 100 years, Goodyear has been devoted to advancing tire technology, and to applying this knowledge to new products that advance driving excellence. At the Akron Innovation Center, nearly 1,500 engineers, scientists, technicians, and other specialists collaborate to improve tire manufacturing for a wide variety of vehicles on six continents. The result is the new Eagle Sport tires.
Since November is the month to be thankful for all the great things in our lives, I thought I would play along. Naturally, I’m thankful every day for my amazing family and my two sweet and talented children, the roof over our heads and food on our table, but I’m going to share something else I’m thankful for that is not nearly as obvious.
What I’m thankful for is the kind of toys my children are drawn to. I see those kids who turn their noses up at “baby toys” and are constantly playing with toys that are far too old for them and I am thankful for kids who still love baby dolls, singing lullabies, and imaginative play.
They have their whole lives to be interested in video games, electronics, and makeup. I’d much rather they spend their time rocking their babies, making fake baby food, and taking them on long nature walks. This is why we’ve always avoided the large chain toys stores with their scantily clad fashion dolls and realistic-looking weapons and opted for neighborhood toy stores with a wall of Corolle dolls instead.
And, wouldn’t you know, they could play all day in those toy stores without ever getting bored, even though our own Corolle collection is nothing short of epic.
You wouldn't know it by searching my closet, but I love the show What Not to Wear. I found the show during my early 20s as I was making the awkward transition between teen and adult, and I'm very glad I did. Clinton Kelly and his cohorts taught me all I know about fashion, and I find myself still heeding the advice of how important fit is when choosing clothing – style isn't everything.
So, when I heard that Clinton Kelly was going to be at the downtown Seattle Macy's and the event was going to be catered by Macy's Culinary Council Chef Tom Douglas, I knew I couldn't miss it. I planned a girls’ day shopping event with my step mom to celebrate since we were both big fans of the show and it only seemed natural that we go see him together.
But, even before the day of the event we were trading texts about what we should wear. Not knowing how the event was going to be run we weren’t sure what kind of attire was going to go over best. In the end, I decided to go with the safe route. My step mom went adventurous. In hindsight, I wish I would have put a little more thought into my outfit but I really didn’t want to land myself into a What Not to Wear situation.
As I said, I was a big fan of What Not to Wear, but up until last Saturday I didn’t think that I was a huge fan of Clinton Kelly himself. Sure, he was funny and he knew his stuff, but he also dispensed criticism for a living. Talk about a rough gig.
But, what I found out is that I adore Clinton Kelly. He’s one of the most entertaining and fun speakers I have ever seen {and that’s saying a lot}. 
Last week, we had date night. We started the evening with Washington wines and microbrews paired with delicious bites from Seattle’s top chefs, and then we topped off the night with coffee and sweet potato cheesecake. 
It was pretty much the perfect evening, and it was for a good cause.
Tyler with always amazing Thierry Rautureau {AKA The Chef In The Hat}
We were guests of AT&T at the March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction, where they were a gold level sponsor. The Signature Chefs Auction brings together prominent members of the community to raise paddles for stronger, healthier babies and proceeds from the event are directed to mission-based programs.
A few weeks ago, my cousin took me to one of her favorite Seattle restaurants, Señor Moose in Ballard, to try a corn dish that she adored. The description said roasted corn and epazote with cream, and I had a hard time imagining how that would taste, but I decided to trust her and take a chance. I’m glad that I did, because one bite of their famous Esquites appetizer, and I was sold.
I'm not normally one who likes creamy flavors mixed with citrus, but somehow in the Esquites, it just all blended together perfectly with the sweetness of the corn and the hint of spice. And, even though it's been weeks since I tasted it, I still dream about how delicious it was.
We’ve been playing around with creating a similar recipe here at home by looking up other fresh corn recipes now that our neighbors bring us ears of corn each week. We came up with our own version of the corn appetizer that uses manchego cheese instead of epazote and doesn’t have a cream base and wanted to share it so you can try it with all the fresh corn of the seaon. It’s not as amazing as what's at Señor Moose’s, but I must admit it’s pretty darn good.
Interested in trying it out? Let's get started:
