Rockin' Pumpkins

Okay, if you're anything like me (and I'm sorry if you are...lol) you probably carve 2 triangles that look like eyes and a smile with a snaggletooth in the middle ... that's about the extent of my creativity when it comes to carving pumpkins. This morning we were at Mosby Farm's Pumpkin Patch getting some awesome tips on how to create a Jack-o-Lantern that will make you the talk of your block!

Scary ....

Really concentrating

It was seriously freezing!

Rosella Mosby, owner of the patch, gave us some great tips on carving and some amazingly fab recipes.

1. Download a stencil and make your carving simple (and super cool)

2. Cut the flesh away to make your pumpkin translucent and that way the candle light will shine through and look spooky

3. Use white glue and a sponge brush to adhere glue to the pumpkin. Sprinkle sparkles on the glue, shake off, and you have a gorgeous glittered squash!

CLICK HERE for some fabulous pumpkin recipes (the ones we featured on this morning's show).

Try them and then write a comment on the blog and let me know how they worked out!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH US CREATE SOME AMAZING PUMPKINS

'Rosella The Great'!

Some of Rosella's creations

Check out the creativity

Visit Mosby Farm and get your pumpkin this weekend!!

The Skid Monster

Nooo, I didn't get a driving infraction and get sent to "traffic school" - I voluntarily went to 'skid school' to get prepared for some winter driving.

We were live in Edmonds with Defensive Driving School and they have cars outfitted with what looks like training wheels - BUT THEY'RE NOT! It's called a Skid Monster and it simulates skidding on ice, hydroplaning, taking a corner too fast, etc. It's crazy too. I come from a place with lots of snow & ice (I used to live in an igloo) so I know what it feels like to skid out when driving and device is no joke.


CLICK HERE TO WATCH ME DRIVING WITH THE SKID MONSTER

In the "skid car"

Check it out

JC Fawcett was my instructor and he had great tips on how to stay safe on the road this winter:

1. DON'T drive if you don't have to (stay home and have hot chocolate...okay and maybe some Bailey's...shhh don't tell... instead)

2. SLOW DOWN - where are you going in such a hurry anyway? Slow down so you don't fly off the road

3. Quit following so close - in good weather allow at least 3 seconds of 'follow-time' - in bad weather you should double that. Don't be tailgating ... it's just plain rude

With JC and Brett


The "Skid Monster"

They have classes for teens and adults. Check out their website for more info at http://www.driving-school.com/. And for goodness sakes ... stay safe out there this winter!

Halloween at the Aquarium!

We started celebrating Halloween early today at the Seattle Aquarium! The cuddly creatures are in for a great time this weekend ... as are all the people that are going down this weekend to take in the festivities!

I started the morning with Dr. "Gross" - I felt bad calling her that because she's actually a very nice lady that's been a volunteer there for 13 years. We made Spooky Ice-Toys for the otters made of blended up Pollcok ... mmmm yummy ...lol. She makes them in all sorts of shapes (pumpkins, ghosts, bats, you name it, she's got it). I asked to swim with the otters but was told that they would maul me to death. WHAT!!??? Those cute, cuddly little buggles? So I had to settle for standing on a ladder and dropping the toys over the side of their exhibit. They were my new best friends after I gave them their Halloween goodies.

Truly one of the highlights of my life was getting to be in with the Harbor Seals. I am the BIGGEST animal lover on the planet so getting to handle and be right there when the trainer BRUSHED THE SEAL'S TEETH was a huge deal for me. Barney (who just turned 25 last month) let us clean his teeth with a Sonicare electric toothbrush ... totally hilarious. Then we rewarded him with a fish so right back to the bad breath ... lol.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH US BRUSH THE SEAL'S TEETH!

With Q (left) and Barney (right)

With my new little buddies

The ice-toys we made for the otters

Yikes!

Photographer Jim with "Q"

The Halloween Party happens this Saturday & Sunday at the Seattle Aquarium. Check it out! http://www.seattleaquarium.org/

Firearms Safety

Major Mayhem reporting for duty.

Insights Training and the West Coast Armory are giving back to law enforcement by holding a FREE Firearm Instructors Training Day. Over 50 officers from 25 different agencies - everything from the US Marshals to local police depts - will be there. They're doing all sorts of police work that's way over my head, but bottom line is that they are sharpening their skills & knowledge to keep us safe.

I got to fire some guns this morning. This was my first time and I am totally scared of guns. I fired a couple of different handguns and a rifle. Let's just say that I was shaking when I was done. My big mission this morning was to find out how I can get out of any upcoming speeding tickets... I didn't have much luck ... they didn't seem to want to play my game :-)

I'm learning from Stephanie Kerns of Insights Training

With my new law enforcement peeps

With Sarah and Stephanie

Trying to do things properly

I love that my glasses match my shirt ... totally unplanned :-)

Insights Training Center offers tons of course in self-defense and firearms training. Check them out if you're interested in any of that. www.insightstraining.com

Hogwart Express Pulls into Seattle

Do you like my new 'wizard' look?

The Hogwart Express has pulled into Seattle! HARRY POTTER: The Exhibition opens Saturday, October 23rd at the Seattle Pacific Science Center, and runs all the way through January. Fans of the wizard can get up close and personal with original artifacts, costumes, props, scenes and so much more ... including 6 items from the Deathly Hallows - it doesn't even come out until Nov 19th people!!

We were lucky enough to get a sneak peek before it opens to the public and it was suuupppppeeerr cool. I've got to admit, I've never really been a fan of that cute little British wizard. Not because I don't like him ... just because I've never bothered to read the books or watch the movies...pure Potter laziness. Well that stops now. I'm embarking on a little adventure of my own ... get up to speed on Harry Potter. I realized that I am really far out of the "cool loop".

WATCH THIS VIDEO OF ME INSIDE THE HARRY POTTER EXHIBIT

With Bryce Seidl (CEO of Pacific Science Center). Do you notice that he's totally trying to steal my broomstick?

With the show producer, Mark A. Nichols ... well done!!


Just some of the cool stuff you'll see

More 'Potter' stuff

Seriously up close and personal.

The exhibit run through January at the Pacific Science Center. Tickets are available online at http://www.pacificsciencecenter.org/

Start shopping early

You don't wanna find yourself stuck in the mall on Christmas Eve trying to find a good gift ... talk about pressure! We've all been there though ... well did we ever hook you up this morning. The Tacoma Holiday Food & Gift Show is at the Tacoma Dome until Sunday. 650 vendors are hawking their wares for the next 4 days - totally unique gifts that you won't find at the mall. The biggest gift show in the nation has been around for 28 years, but this is it's first time offering chef demos to help ease the stress of figuring out what to make when the fam comes into town for the holidays. You know you worry about that too :-)

Find everything from rebots (robots made from recycled goods), cupcake wrappers, princess photography, homemade wooden toys, and so much more! Very cool event.


CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO OF SOME OF THE GIFTS I DISCOVERED THIS MORNING

Chef Bill from the Adriatic Grill

Carrie from "Bella Cupcake Couture"

Posing with Princess Aurora from "A Simple Wish"


Some very cool people with some very cool gifts

Where: Tacoma Dome

When: Through this Sunday

Cost: $12.50 but that gets you in everyday (just make sure you get your hand stamped)

Kube 93 Haunted House

Notice anything weird about my right eye?

Halloween is just over a week away and it's time to start getting spooky! Start carving the pumpkin, finding a costume, and visiting the freaky haunts around the city. We were at the Kube 93 Haunted House this morning and it was out of control! I think that I've never really looked better or prettier than I did this morning ... lol. Huge props to the makeup artist, Russell, for doing me up in a big way!

Skyler, the clown, making me 'pretty'

I had an unfortunate skate accident earlier in the day


Mashing up my teeth

CLICK HERE TO WATCH ME IN THE SPOOKY HAUNTED HOUSE

They had an entire team of people there to play with us at 5am. I wore scary contacts (I've never put anything in my eye before, so that was a trip), they put prosthetics on my face and neck, and did theatre makeup like I've never seen. They even painted my teeth. Amazing.

I've seriously never felt more beautiful




Just another day at the office :-)

The whole scary gang

On the way back to the station we stopped at Starbucks just to see what would happen. Imagine seeing me dressed like this at 8am. Geez. I was totally cracking up at how many people were scared by me. Maybe I'll dress like this on a regular basis just for my own amusement... lol.

It took an eternity to get clean once I got home. How many of you looked over and saw me sitting next to you on the freeway? Totally hilarious. The amount of conditioner that it took to get my hair back to normal was ... epic.

Check out the Kube 93 Haunted House if you can. It's happening until Halloween and Kid's Day is this Saturday (the lights will be on and no actors will be there to scare them). Check out http://www.kube93.com/ for more info.

BOO!

Food Trucks roll into Red Square

Cooking up some 'spam' fried rice. FYI, that's not my booty you see there! It's a combo of a baggy, man's chef shirt, and microphones, etc, all clipped to the back of my pants. I swear! lol

Food trucks are hot right now! It seems like everywhere I turn there's a new TV show about them, or someone who is opening a new truck. Well, UW is getting in on the trendy action. 4 new restaurants on wheels are rolling onto campus this fall and will serve up Hawaiian cuisine, BBQ, tacos, and gourmet hot dogs (if there really is such a thing ... sounds like an oxymoron to me). The best part?? ALL of the to-go containers, utensils, and cups can go in the compost ... way to go UW for decreasing your carbon footprint!

I got to cook Spam Musubi this morning. Apparently, it's a very popular snack in Hawaii. It's a piece of marinated spam on rice, wrapped in nori (seaweed)... mmmm. Okay, it actually wasn't that bad.

Check them out all over campus! Thanks for having us!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH US HANDING OUT SPAM MUSUBI TO STUDENT ARRIVING FOR CLASS!

Restaurant Week

Seattle Restaurant Week is kicking off and running for the next 10 days! That's just one giant excuse to eat 10 great dinners!

This morning I was live at Joey Restaurant on South Lake Union (they also have locations in Bellevue and SouthCenter) cooking with Executive Chef Chris Mills. Whew ... that was a mouthful! Anyhoo ... he's off to New York to cook at the James Beard Foundation which is like the Carnegie Hall for chefs ...very cool honor. He showed me a few dishes that he's taking to NYC and showed us that you don't need to be afraid of making "fancy" food ... AND ... how to spice-up your 'regular' food. We made Ahi Tuna Tacos and very elegant (that's Chris' word for them ...lol) chicken corndogs.

He might have saved the best for last though ... Warm Banana Cake with coconut sauce .... DELISH!! I almost drank his entire bowl of passionfruit / vanilla bean sauce ... OMG it was so good!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH ME COOKING WITH CHRIS!

Chris 'plating' the cake - I'm just mugging for the camera ...lol

'Doin our thang'

Watch out Chris ... I have mad chef skillz!

Mmmmmmmm :-)

My partner in crime

Check out Joey Restaurant at all 3 Seattle locations - Bellevue, SouthCenter, and South Lake Union.

Seattle Restaurant Week runs until October 28th at over 1 hundred restaurants in the area. You can get a 3 course meal for just 25 bucks and no passes or tickets are needs, but reservations are recommended. Happy Eating!!

SkiFever & Snowboard Show

You know you've "made it" when you get to work with a skiing dog ... lol!

I was at the SkiFever and Snowboarding Show this morning and it was awesome! I grew up in the snow skiing and I absolutely love it! So I was more than happy to go and dress up in ski gear (although it was so hot inside that I thought I would die) and look at all the latest stuff!!!

We checked out all the hottest new trends, jumped on a trampoline (WEARING SKIS) with 5-time US National Freestyle Champ, David Wise ... he's super cool and amazingly talented ... and skied on an indoor hill with Ryder the skiing dog.

What can I say about Ryder ... well, he's an 8 year old dog that's been skiing since he was 3 months. He's sponsored ... yup ... sponsored ... watch out for him and his dad, Bob, on mountains all around the region. Go down and see him this weekend if you can!

CHECK BACK IN A FEW HOURS FOR VIDEO OF RYDER AND I SKIING TOGETHER

Doing some early Christmas shopping ... :-)

Ryder and his dad, Bob, getting his ski boots on

One very talented doggie

My new BFF


My new entourage

SkiFever and Snowboard Show details:

1. October 15th - 17th

2. Washington State Convention Center

3. http://www.seattleskifever.com/

Designer Duds

ATTENTION ALL SAVVY FASHIONISTAS! Big big big consignment sale happening this weekend at 1725 Westlake Ave N in downtown Seattle.

Smartie Pants Events is hosting the sale that will feature designers like Diane Von Furstenberg, Prada, Betsey Johnson, tons of designer denim, and so much more! It all started from a bunch of girlfriends swapping clothes at a house ... and now it's available to you too! The girls that are running it are just awesome and the cool thing is that a large portion of the proceeds and ALL of the clothing that isn't sold goes to local charities. 

Get this: this morning I featured the same dress that Sarah Jessica Parker wore in the Sex in the City movie - it retails for $$2000 bucks and this weekend it's priced at $125 (and that's one of the most expensive things). I saw earrings for 10 cents ... seriously. 

So the bottom line is come get a slamming deal all while doing a good deed ... does it get any better?

CLICK HERE TO HEAR ABOUT THE DEALS

The gang ... thanks for having me!

Where:  1725 Westlake Ave N

When: Saturday 9am-5pm & Sunday 10am-1pm

www.smartiepantsevents.com

Pumpkin Patch

Okay so some days I have a really tough job ... lol.

Today I was assigned to cover ... the PUMPKIN PATCH!  Now, truth be told, this was my first visit to one - we don't have them where I grew up.  I've got to say, I'm hooked!

We were at Craven Farm this morning checking out all of the crazy pumpkins - they carry over 20 varieties ... who knew that there were so many kinds????  I walked through the 13 acre corn maze (didn't even need my GPS), built a scarecrow (now there's a first), and did the best thing ever .... launch pumpkins in a giant slingshot! I'm totally building one of these in my backyard. If you live near me don't be alarmed when you see random orange things flying overhead. In fact, come over, bring some wine, and join the party!  All I could think about was that poor girl on the Amazing Race who launched one and it flipped over somehow and smashed her in the face. Thank goodness I still have all of my teeth. 

CLICK HERE TO WATCH ME LAUNCH PUMPKINS

Craven Farm greeters

Posing with my photog Jim

The owner Mark & I mimicking the pumpkin faces

Don't ever shoot a close-up of me that tight again!! Run Jim ... lol

Craven Farm is free of charge and they have tons of stuff to do with the family. Take a trip out there before October 31st and get spooky! www.cravenfarm.com