DTR Anniversaries - Liberty Cafe and Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes

Today was the day to be in the DTR corridor my friends. Both Liberty Cafe and Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes were having anniversary celebrations and fun was to be had all around. Liberty Cafe celebrates a year in our fine, historic downtown Renton area and Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes has been serving us for three years now. How quickly time passes when you are drinking caffeine and eating frosting yum yums.

Common Ground has party plans

It's been a quick three years since Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes joined our downtown community, and they have become a beloved member of the local family. Many have welcomed their presence in Renton's downtown corridor, and owner Hang and Lenge have felt the community's appreciation in a couple of larger than life moments.


Crystal and Brandie

Months after the opening of the shop in 2007, a car ran through the window of the store in the middle of the night, and neighbors helped stand guard over the premises and board up the windows with plywood without batting an eye. It was the first time Lenge, husband of the couple team that owns and helps operate the coffee shop, felt such kinship in a place they lived and worked in.

Then there was the five alarm fire that struck the building adjacent to their shop's in the summer of last year. The smoke and water damage had them closed for days, but an order of wedding cupcakes got made and decorated with the assistance of local shop owners.

However, Common Ground has given back a lot to Renton and I am so happy that misfortune did not discourage them from continuing to be a member of our downtown crew. The cupcake shop is a spot where all ages can gather to eat, drink and make merry.

Pot O' Gold Cupcake and artwork by Melanie Hall

To celebrate the three year anniversary this Saturday, March 13th, there will be

*free mini cupcakes with coffee drink purchase
*face painting from 11- 2pm
*music by Paco Jones
*local art show/balloons
*raffle featuring local businesses
*double stamp coffee cards

The Cupcake Fairy Artist, Melanie Hall, will also be on hand along with her artwork, to meet with all of you. That is her work above with the special Pot O' Gold Cupcake, a new creation for this month of March, which is a chocolate Guinness cake with Irish Cream buttercream frosting made with Jameson Irish whiskey - oh my!

Hang, owner and lovely lady
Downtown Renton this weekend is the place to be! I have more to report on that score tomorrow, but set your compass for the DTR and come hang out with all of us local Rentonites.

Common Ground Cupcakes and Coffee
900 South Third St.(425) 235 - 1717
www.commongroundcupcakes.com

Better late than never! I love how our community comes together and celebrates our commonalities and our eccentric differences. New Year's Day party held at the lustrous, wonderful local hang - the Liberty Cafe.

Wedding Revelries at A Terrible Beauty in Renton

Wedding Revelries for Jenna and Pat, new owners of A Terrible Beauty Irish Pub were celebrated this past weekend - thanks for sharing your wedded bliss with us, happy couple! Just about the time when the opportunity to own the establishment on Williams Ave.S. was coming up for Jenna Shannon Garvey, so was the romance that had flitted and flirted in the back of these two fated friend's minds. Jenna and Pat Michael O'Brien have known one another for years, Pat an ace of a chef and Jenna the uber capable barkeep, etc. but never thought either was interested in the other "that way". But sometimes in life, when it rains, it pours. Love, life, new work and that ever illusive element of happiness seem to be showing up in the new pub owners lives in spades.

The crowd of well wishers gathered upstairs in the pub's upper floor that is rather like a large walkway suspended in air over the pub's main floor, repleted with stripper pole area that the little tykes took over that evening as their play domain( yep, kids are allowed now up until 9pm). The wedding couple, though married quietly with just family around them on Sept. 12th, donned their wedding attire for the festivities. Willie Dzul, chef and often the author of my favorite brunch edibles on weekends alongside owner Pat himself, made a huge spread replete with a watermelon shaped into a peacock with fruit spears as tail feathers. I finally got to try some of the pub's mac n' cheese - dangerously good.

After toasting with champagne and eating cake from The Picaroon's family's favorite bakery, Borracchini's on Rainier, the music started in. There were 4-6 music talents slated for the evening, and as with all the incredible talent that A Terrible Beauty has been booking lately (2-3 times a week featuring bands), the cover was FREE. While we were partying up above, the pub was running as usual just below us and things were starting to heat up.If you would like to get on the text message list with Jenna, she will hit you up at least twice a week with the music lineup.

For The Picaroon, this is still the best brunch happening in Renton ( the soda bread alongside the omelets and/or eggs benedict with the killer hollandaise sauce gets me every time!). Great place for an after work beer - the offering is not slouchy, and I love the fact that this is now officially a family hang as well.

If any of you were worried when this establishment changed hands, again, that it would be just "same old same old" on this corner of Williams and Second St. S., you were dead wrong. Jenna and Pat are part of the community already through actions and spirit, and they mean to make a play for your attention and participation. Give them some - it is well deserved.

ps thank god they had a professional photographer there that evening - cuz we did not do any great justice to the bride's awesome dress or her crystal clear converse shoes (read "glass slipper" here) with Irish green laces.

A Terrible Beauty
201 Williams Ave. South
(424) 227-3396

Cupcakes and fond memories

Miss Lavender - this cupcake at Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes has a title. It's prissy, purpley pink and adorable - and needs to be eaten.
Located on South Third and the corner of Wells Ave.S. - yum!

Recognize this two impersonators? This is Rachel and Maeghan, staff at the Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes and soon to depart back to school staff. Tonight, Crystal Roberts, one of their coworkers, calls you all to the Going Away Party that takes place at 8pm at the other coffee shop in the same block, Liberty Cafe. How cool is that? I love that we can all hang together and share in the DTR.

Party at Happy Delusions - Meet the Artist

Friday night - and you should have plans to be on the uppermost western corner of South Third Street. Why? Because it is a night of celebration, food, fun and meeting ARTISTS.

Happy Delusions is hosting a Meet The Artist gathering this Friday from 5 pm till 9 pm, and all of you are welcome. This should be fun, folks!

Mary Clymer, owner of Happy Delusions, has 35 vendors within her store and quite a few of them (15 in total!!) will be on hand to introduce themselves and their wares.

Look for:

Alex Sandlin of the big eyed girl painting, Susanna of Sustudio Jewelery lovely silver jewelry, Mary of Blue Mockingbird Designs cute necklaces, Linda Vidmar of the wonderful pottery, Emi of the adorable plushy toys!

Happy Delusions 924 S. 3rd St. (425)255-6078
www.happydelusions.wordpress.com

Party on the Block - Friday night at Liberty Cafe

Friday night and South Third Street in Downtown Renton is the place to be! Liberty Cafe will be hosting their Grand Opening Celebration from 6pm - 9 pm, and all of you are invited!

If you have never been to the new little shop that graces the top of S.Third and has lent a definite "European Cafe" air to the downtown area, please do take this moment to find out what you have been missing and meet some of the town.

Joe Kennedy of Calico Cheesecake will be making some of his infamously good savory cheesecake (I could gorge myself on this heavenly party snack), possibly some Bruschetta from Armondo's, and of course beer, wine, coffee and music.

Mike Moscowitz and Johnny Uysal , owners of Liberty Cafe will be on hand to party with all of us. Don't be shy - come on by!

Liberty Cafe 926 South Third Street
(425) 235 -1400

Mother's Day Shopping Happens on Third Street

Deb at Girlfriennd's Antiques, Gifts and Florals has some really adorable planters full of fresh flowering blooms for you to give to Mom. Located at 920 S. Third and she will open at 10. You never know what other goodies may be lurking there - I adore this woman's vintage window displays!

Feathered Nest has the most endearing interior and so many lovely treasures that any Mother in the world would adore - I am especially fond of the scented candle selections and the wonderful lamp displays. There is also a 30% storewide sale that is applied to almost everything - with those prices you can shop like you want - one for you, then one for Mom. Sue Moeller will be open 11 am - 5:30, and that's at 914 S. Third.

Mary Clymer of Happy Delusions is having a Celebrate Mom Party at her store that begins tonight at 5pm. A little wine, tasty nibbles and some drawings to be held that evening for gift baskets - oh la la.

Two of the artists represented in the store - ALex Sandlin and Ladora Bornum, will be bringing in a special selection of artwork for the evening's gathering.

Alex Sandlin, know for her lovely paintings of girls with large, pouty eyes, will have eleven full sized canvases of new work for our special viewing pleasure.

Ladora Barnum will be bringing a selection of her pottery. Ladora does a series of hanging dolls with porcelain faces and flowing robes that I am personally very partial too - I have one in my bedroom and on my front door! Mary's store opens at 10 am today - 924 S. Third St.

As always, Shop Local and remember to give your Mom some love - she deserves it!