SEATTLE FAVORITES: TALLULAH'S

Last weekend we brunched at a new-to-us place and fell in love from the minute we stepped onto this beautifully tiled floor.

Tallulah's is owned by the Derschang Restaurant Group (it runs with the hip and trendy Oddfellows Cafe, also on Capitol Hill, and the laid back Kings in Ballard). They serve brunch through happy hour, and we decided to try the weekend brunch. Totally pleased with our choice and once I'm not pregnant I can't wait to try all their drinks on happy hour.

The decor is stunning. Texture perfection, upscale but not pretentious, mid-century modern, European, and so many amazing plants. I spotted a Fiddle Leaf Fig right by our table and pointed it out to Daniel like the crazy plant lady that I am.

The pregnant mimosa: just juice, hold the bubbly. Really loving fresh green juices lately. These two are: beet, carrot, apple and ginger, and kale, cucumber, celery, pear and lemon. So good.

The menu boasts classics and creative dishes, from herbed goat cheese omlettes to crab eggs benedict, and an amazing looking beet salad that I'm dying to try next. They featured baked goods from local bakery Macrina and the brunch item of the moment, avocado toast.

I got the Maple Quinoa Porridge with pear, banana, coconut, pecans, raisins and pumpkin seeds. Divine. Both vegan and gluten free, but tasted creamy and coconuty. Daniel got the Eggs Benedict with crab and loved it. The sweet potatoes it came with were amazing. Daniel had a side of banana bread with maple butter that he raved about, and I had a side of applewood bacon that was cooked to perfection. Salty and crunchy, exactly how I like it.

Such a find. I loved that Tallulah's is located in a quieter stretch of Cap Hill. I mentioned to Daniel that it felt like we were on vacation, discovering somewhere totally new to us in a different part of Cap Hill. Excellent place and highly recommended.

NESTING SERIES: THE OFFICE

The nesting continues in full force around here. I've been wanting to tackle my office for a while, but it was something I'd say that I'd get to "one day" which turned out to be never. I knew I needed help in this department because the project felt too overwhelming to me to try to take on by myself. I have built-ins that are awesome, but I didn't really know what to do with them or how to best create a system for all the incoming/outgoing things, projects, papers, bills, etc, AND create something that was not just organized, but aesthetically pleasing as well. Enter: my friend Annie of Live Simply By Annie, a professional organizer located in Seattle. I knew Annie would be able to help me and I am so glad I asked.

In one afternoon, my office went from unmanageable and chaotic to organized, beautiful, and functional. Annie is a powerhouse of an organizer and I cannot recommend her services highly enough. The best part for me was that I didn't have to spend a dime on any kind of extra storage containers. Annie used everything I already had, and streamlined, reorganized and rearranged until Every Single Thing had a place and a home. She gets a vision for the space and works and works until it all fits just so. I still can't believe it. I am a combination of stunned, impressed, and grateful for the new, workable space.

The before and after:

Stunning, right? The update makes me so, so happy.

More after photos:

Those white boxes I've had since college and are $3.99 at Ikea.

I have a second desk/side area next to the built ins that was my previous shipping station, but we switched it around slightly.

My new shipping station on the other side of the room along with orders going out. (That print is now available for download, email me at allie@allieseidel.com if you're interested)

The desk space. I had Daniel paint the top of the desk for an easy update from the light wood.

Annie arrived with a game plan and lots of storage ideas. She asked my overall vision, and we went to work. Annie nudged me along in every area, and I for sure needed it. Annie would ask what a certain pile of papers was, and I'd say "Oh, that's something I just have to go through someday." And she'd say "Great. That someday is now. Go through it." I would laugh because I didn't want to take up too much of Annie's time, but she said that's what this time is for. To go through every single paper and decide to keep it or toss it. That's all organizing really is, lots of small decisions. But you have to put in the time and effort to actually do it.

I appreciated Annie's no-nonsense but kind style of organizing. I think I was imagining something more drill-sergeant like and it would just be "Toss everything and start over" but that wasn't it at all. It was more "Keep what works for you, let go of what doesn't." Annie's personality is suited so well for this field. If she wasn't there, I don't think I would have ever gone through each and every piece of paper I had in my office. I would have just left it as "good enough" and a project for "someday" which I now know won't ever come to fruition. I needed that push of someone else present the time blocked off, and the good kind of pressure to get it done. The moment that my office was completely organized was unreal, like a huge weight has been lifted off that entire area of my life. Completely priceless and so worth the afternoon of work.

Organizing this one room has made me realize how important it will be to become as organized as possible everywhere else pre-baby. The products have started to roll in, and I want to develop a system that works for us so that when the baby joins us in June, the only chaos I'll have to worry about will be baby-related, not stuff-related. I think becoming hyper-organized will help me make the transition as smoothly as possible.

SOURCES:

Annie's Organizing Services: livesimplybyannie.com. Desk: re-purposed old door from my in-law's remodel. Trestles, storage boxes, small white side desk, lamp: Ikea. Shipping station dresser and ghost chair: gifted. Planner: Get to Work Book. Fiberglass chair: Modernica. Square prints: Artifact Uprising

NESTING SERIES: NURSERY STORAGE

I searched all over for a storage solution for the nursery that was modern, neutral, and didn't scream "baby" so that it could grow with our child. So happy to have found these bins by Petit Pehr, the children's line of Pehr Designs.

The bins ship completely flat, and are made of flexible/bendable canvas. I love that they are printed in a soft cream instead of bright white, and I purposefully chose styles that went together but weren't too matchy. There are loads of style choices though, and lots of color options if you're into that too.

My plan is to use the largest size as our hamper, the medium for blankets, and the smallest for toys, but I'm sure this will switch around as I see more of how I need to organize all the gear. I love that the hamper is stylish enough that it doesn't need to be hidden in a closet.

They hold a surprising amount. My recommendation if starting with one is to pick the "bin" size, pictured here in top right. Not too big or too small, and so versatile for a variety of uses.

Styles pictured: Taupe Hamper (Pehr Designs) Grey Speck Bin (Petit Pehr) Grey Pin Dot Pint (Petit Pehr).

Sources: crochet hat (Krochet Kids), grey pillow (The Land of Nod), Wool Merino Blanket (Chasing Windmill Kids), wipes dispenser (Ubbi), wrap (Solly Baby), grey stripe crib sheet (Burts Bees Baby), leather mat (Gathre)

Shared in partnership with Pehr Designs, style choices and opinions are my own.