
For our “spur of the moment” planners who have yet to purchase tickets (yes, that’s you), there’s still time to plan for Spring Barrel Tasting featuring the best wines in Yakima Valley.
From April 27-29, grab your special someone or your favorite group of friends to experience an unforgettable three-day weekend event. More than forty wineries will open their tasting rooms offering wine-friendly food and dessert pairings, exclusive sneak peak wines from the barrel, and private tastings to experience the local wine culture in an entertaining new light.
Weekend photos can be entered into the Sip and Click contest for a chance to win prizes!
1. Tweet or Facebook a photo of your Yakima Valley wine tasting experience
2. Mention your location (winery, restaurant, tasting room, etc.)
3. Use the hashtag: #Yakimawine
If you have an iPhone or Android, don’t miss out on Wine Yakima Valley’s new mobile wine tour app. This stress free planning tool offers easy turn-by-turn directions, winery hours and other varietals to assist in your planning.
Now’s your chance to create memories in the largest, oldest, and most diverse wine region in Washington! Purchase a Premier Pass to waive tasting fees and get instant access to wine, food and fun.
TAGS: #Yakimawine, APril 27-29, contest, event, Facebook, getaway, Mobile Wine Tour, Sip and Click, smartphone, Spring Barrel Tasting, tasting room, Twitter, Washington Wine, weekend, Wine, wine country, wine tasting, Wine Yakima Valley, Yakima Valley

Wine enthusiasts can get the most out of their 2012 wine tasting with Wine Yakima Valley’s Annual Premier Pass, on sale now through January 2. This is the pass for anyone that enjoys wine tasting getaways and also enjoys doing so at a great deal!
This is how it works, purchase your pass online here, before January 2, 2012 and gain access to special wine discounts, exclusive tastings, tours, and other specially accessed wine focused events and promotions during three prime wine tasting weekends in 2012. The events kick off with Red Wine & Chocolate on Feb. 18-19, continues with Spring Barrel Tasting April 27-29 and then pass holders can learn about harvest with Catch the Crush October 13-14.
The pass is a steal at $92, which is a 20% savings over purchasing the three event passes separately. Enjoy Yakima Valley wine in 2012 and be smart while doing! You’ll also be supporting nearly 50 wineries and grape growers in the Yakima Valley, just 150 miles from Seattle, Portland and Spokane.
For more information and to purchase the Annual Premier Passes, visit Wine Yakima Valley’s website at www.wineyakimavalley.org.
TAGS: Catch the Crush, Events, Premier Pass, Red Wine & Chocolate, Spring Barrel Tasting, WA wine, Wine, wine weekend getaways, Wine Yakima Valley, Yakima Valley, Yakima Valley Wine
With just 10 short days until Christmas we wanted to do our part in making things a little easier on you. And so we present… our Holiday Gift Guide! Shop online or pop into one of the businesses below to check off your list in a snap with stocking stuffers, desserts, dining and more!

Tilth
In search of a unique gift for that chocolate lover on your gift list? Maria Hines has teamed up with seven of her West Coast chef friends and the chocolatiers at Theo Chocolate to give you that unique gift this holiday season! The Chef Session gift box features the following chefs and each of their chocolaty morsels, which they created themselves in the kitchen at Theo Chocolate.
• Maria Hines (Tilth in Seattle, WA) Tamarind Lime Chile Caramel
• Chris Cosentino (Incanto & Boccalone Salumeria in San Francisco, CA) Agro Dolce Brittle
• Naomi Pomeroy (Beast in Portland, OR) Armagnac Prune Ganache & Green Peppercorn Caramel
• Gabriel Rucker (Le Pigeon in Portland, OR) Carrot caramel
• Holly Smith (Café Juanita in Seattle, WA) Candied Beet & Almond Praline
• Jonathan Sundstrom (Lark & Licorous in Seattle, WA) Pine Resin Ganache
• Jerry Traunfeld (Poppy in Seattle, WA) Huckleberry Pâte du Fruit & Cinnamon Basil White Ganache
As if this deal couldn’t get any sweeter, $15 of each box will go to Food Lifeline, dedicated to ending hunger in Western Washington. Purchase Theo Chef Session online.
CRUSH
Crush entices you to keep a little something for yourself this gift giving season. When you purchase $500 in gift certificates at Crush (any denomination), Crush will gift you a $100 gift card! Thank yourself for giving smart by treating yourself to Chef Jason Wilson’s enticing and award-winning menu. After all, he’s not the James Beard 2010 winner for nothing, right?
If you feel so inclined to give even more, then gift that $100 gift card to another lucky person on your list. Hopefully they will take you when redeeming! See the menu that you could be giving this holiday season. Email CRUSH or call CRUSH at 206.302.7874 for additional information.
Mario’s
Shopping and holidays, holidays and shopping… the perfect pair no matter how you say it and Mario’s knows a thing or two about shopping. Celebrating their 50th holiday season this year, here are a few of their favorite (and must-have) holiday gifts for him and her!
Her
• Artfully designed earrings by Dean Harris
• Brunello Cucinelli Cashmere Sweaters
• Wonderfully fragrant candles from Lafco
• Vince and Inhabit knit tops
• Perfectly Prada nylon cosmetic bag
Him
• Ermenegildo Zegna sport shirts
• Cashmere sweaters from Loro Piana
• A Hugo Boss 2 in 1 jacket
• Vintage polos from Lacoste
• Hudson jeans in the perfect fit
Visit Mario’s for locations in Seattle, Portland and Mario’s 3.10 at Bridgeport Village.
Morton’s
Morton’s The Steakhouse is known for serving up big, juicy Prime steaks, fresh seafood, generous savory sides, and desserts… hungry yet? All that giving you’re doing is working up quite the appetite and to reward you Morton’s is gifting $50 for every $300 or $100 for every $500 you spend this season on gift cards. Available online or at any Morton’s location. And don’t forget Morton’s other fabulous gifts for the steak lover in your life!
• Morton’s Cookbook Vol. I – Morton’s Steak Bible
• Morton’s Cookbook Vol. II – Morton’s The Cookbook
• Morton’s Cajun seasoning salt
• Morton’s custom crafted, wood-handled steak knives
• Morton’s Titleist Pro V1® golf balls with Morton’s logo
All of this and more available for purchase online.
Pike and Western Wine Shop
Are you shopping local in the Pike Place Market? Need a hostess gift, stocking stuffer or something that will impress? Pike and Western Wine Shop, nestled on the Northeast corner of the Pike Place Market makes it easy for you to pick up that special bottle of wine while shopping downtown or picking up the latest fisherman’s catch or fresh from the farm product. Owner Michael Teer and his team have been pairing people with the perfect bottle of holiday dinner wine, celebratory bubbly, or perfect gift for over 35 years. With wines from around the world and in our own backyard and many special for this season, let them pair a bottle or two for you! See new arrivals, what has the staff intrigued and the hot buys that you can’t pass up this holiday season here. Stop by at 1934 Pike Place, Seattle or call 206.441.1307
Pure Barre
Get a jump start on your New Year’s resolution with Pure Barre, an amazing fitness technique that combines Pilates, ballet and weights into a kick-butt workout! Perfect for the fitness buff in your life or for those looking to get back in to shape and mix things up! Pure Barre has tons of ways to work out at home or at the studio. Pick up a special class package deal and some new workout duds and you’ll be the star come Christmas morning! Visit Pure Barre Bellevue or Seattle online to get started!
• pb DVD’s ($18)
• pb socks ($12)
• pb pilates ring ($18)
• pb resistance balls ($20)
• Splits 59 ribbed tanks ($35)
• Mondetta Performance leggings ($65)
• Alternative Apparel Burnout tank ($25)
TAGS: Ballet, chocolate, Christmas, Crush, Fitness, gifts, holiday shopping, Mario's, Morton's The Steakhouse Portland, Morton's The Steakhouse Seattle, New Year's, Pike and Western Wine Shop, Pilates, Pure Barre Bellevue, Pure Barre Seattle, Seattle Restaurants, shopping, Tilth, Weights, Wine,

We are so excited to once again be representing tidbit bistro! We’ve known them for years and are big fans of their restaurant. After a quick spring fling and a big move for them from one side of Capitol Hill to the other, we are reunited… and it feels so good. If you aren’t familiar with tidbit bistro from their former space on North Broadway they are a friendly and vibrant neighborhood restaurant serving Italian and Spanish inspired dishes from tapas and small plates to entrees and house made desserts. They were also the first restaurant in Seattle to serve flights of the Italian digestivos grappa and cello, as well as boasting an extensive selection of wine and cocktails. Not to mention a special vegan menu and tons of vegetarian options.
They are now located in the original La Spiga space at Broadway and Union in the Pike/Pine corridor of Capitol Hill. With their move came fun new dishes and menu items that we can’t wait to share with you! We’re thrilled to once again be working together and be sure to check back here for more tidbit updates. Definitely pay them a visit for lunch, dinner or happy hour!
Follow tidbit bistro on Twitter and like on Facebook.
TAGS: Capitol Hill, happy hour, Italian, new client, Spanish, tapas, tidbit bistro, Wine

Lidia Bastianich Book Signing, Wine Tasting at Pike And Western Wine Shop Aug. 20
Free event with cookbook author, television personality, chef and restaurateur
SEATTLE—(August 13, 2010)—Pike and Western Wine Shop will expand its free Friday tasting on August 20, 4 to 6 p.m., to welcome best-selling cookbook author, award-winning television cooking show personality, chef and restaurateur Lidia Bastianich. Lidia will be signing copies of Lidia Cooks From The Heart of Italy while guests sip on complimentary tastes from Lidia’s own winery: Bastianich Vineyards. A limited number of cookbooks will be available for $35 and a selection of wines from Bastianich Vineyards will also be available for sale. The event is free to attend.
The book signing is in conjunction with Pike and Western’s weekly Friday tasting (usually held 3 to 6 p.m.). Wine shop owner Michael Teer will be pouring tastes from Lidia’s own award-winning winery: Bastianich Vineyards. Bastianich Vineyards, which Lidia opened with her son Joseph, is located in the Colli Orientali region of Friuli in Northwestern Italy, an area widely known for its wine production, terroir and grape varieties Tocai Friulano, Schiopettino, and Refosco. Pike and Western’s knowledgeable staff will guide guests through the unique and informal tasting.
Lidia’s latest cookbook, Lidia Cooks From The Heart of Italy, is a hardcover (Knopf 2009) cookbook profiling 175 regional recipes from 12 regions of Italy. The featured regions include many lesser known parts of Italy including Molise, Liguria, Umbria, Abruzzo, Calabria, Valle d’Aosta, Le Marche, Trentino Alto Adige, Basilicata, and Sardinia as well as the famed Lombardy and Emilia Romagna.
Lidia herself has garnered much acclaim for the past two decades for her best-selling Italian cookbooks, six restaurants, entertainment company Tavola Productions and various cooking shows, including the Emmy-nominated Lidia’s Italy series. She also founded a second winery, La Mozza, with Joseph Bastianich and Mario Batali. Other cookbooks include Lidia’s Family Table, Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen, Lidia’s Italian Table and La Cucina di Lidia.
For more information on Lidia Bastianich, please visit www.lidiasitaly.com.
Located in Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market, Pike and Western Wine Shop has been pairing customers with the perfect bottle of wine since 1975. A local wine shop with a world view, Pike and Western has supported the local wine industry since its inception and also stocks an extensive selection of wines from around the world. In-store wine tastings are offered every Wednesday, 4-6 p.m. ($5) and every Friday, 3-6 p.m. (free). Visit online at www.pikeandwestern.com, follow on Twitter @PikeWesternWine or phone (206) 441-1307.
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TAGS: Celebrity Chef, Lidia Bastianich, Pike and Western Wine Shop, Wine, wine tasting
After months of hard work and tireless hours, evadopr.com was launched and we were thrilled! To treat ourselves we decided to celebrate with a fun and relaxing evening at Morton’s The Steakhouse Seattle! The staff at Morton’s pulled out all the stops including a special “Congratulations” menu. We popped open our “Evado launch gift”, an adorable split of sparking wine that was sent to our media friends asking them to celebrate with us. We had a custom box and label created to complete the package.
Morton’s General Manager Michael Hanke did us the honors by pouring our bubbly into champagne glasses. After it was drained (which didn’t take but a few sips), Michael whisked the box away and neatly placed it in their lobby display case. Next, an excellent bottle of Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon was selected by Evado’s resident wine expert. Delicious.
Now on to dinner! We love how Morton’s presents their entire menu table side so you can really see the quality of their products. We started with Maine Lobster Cocktail, followed by Morton’s Chopped Salad’s and a Center Cut Iceberg, then it was time for the main event: two Porterhouses and a Cajun Ribeye, accompanied by Grilled Asparagus and Buttery Mashed Potatoes! Followed of course by Morton’s Legendary Hot Chocolate Cake to round out an amazing dinner. There’s always room for dessert, right? Good thing we shared!!
Thank you again to the Morton’s staff for showing us such an amazing evening! The service was excellent, as were all of our perfectly prepared steaks and sides. You can guarantee we will be back again soon! Cheers!
View more photos of our evening at facebook.com/evadopr
Visit Mortons.com follow @mortons and fan facebook.com/mortons
TAGS: Cajun Ribeye, Cakebread Cellars, Hot Chocolate Cake, Maine Lobster, Michael Hanke, Morton's The Steakhouse Seattle, Porterhouse, Steak, Wine