Last week, my friend and fellow blogger Kate debuted her 25 Faces Campaign, in celebration of her 25th birthday in April. For 25 days, she will feature one post per day about a woman that she feels has inspired her in some way. I thought it was a neat idea when she pitched it to me, and I helped her by editing some of the posts for the project. I had expected to get a sneak peak of some really interesting and amazing women, and I wasn’t disappointed in that regard. What I didn’t expect was for her to ask me to be a part of the campaign and share the story of my abusive marriage and ultimate divorce, but when she did I agreed without giving it a second thought.
It’s been nearly ten years since I filed for divorce, and a lot of people that I know (even some of my own family) didn’t know the story. Kate published her interview with me last week (you can read the full post here), and I admit, I was very nervous to have such personal information published for any and all to read. Some of the things that I shared in that interview were things that I had kept to myself for nearly a decade, and I did feel vulnerable about the level of detail I went into at times. Let’s face it, abuse is a gritty topic, and some of the things I talked about are cringe-worthy even to me.  I worried that maybe I had divulged too much, but the reactions by those who read the post were overwhelmingly positive and supportive. I got tons of comments and personal messages cheering me on for sharing my story and commending me for who I have become today in light of my past.
I am very proud to be a part of 25 Faces. Each and every woman that is featured in the campaign is beautiful inside and out, and has a truly inspirational story to share. I’m sure that some felt like I did, that they were revealing a very private part of themselves in hopes of inspiring others around them. Others have achieved what may have felt like impossible dreams, and their stories encourage me to reach for my own goals. I even suggested to Kate that she should throw a gathering for her interviewees, so that we could all get together and meet one another (not all of us live in Washington state though, so it’d be difficult to pull this off). I encourage everyone to check out Kate’s blog and read each 25 Faces post!

It might be apparent from my last few posts that I have fallen in love with Edmonds, and have been spending a lot more time there. And one of the very best places to visit in Edmonds (in my opinion, anyway) is American Brewing Co. The brewery started up in 2011 and has become so popular and successful, they are currently expanding!
ABC is in a cool warehouse location near the waterfront, and on nice days the back doors are rolled up so that visitors have the option to sit in the sunshine and enjoy a beer. Although the front door faces the railroad tracks, ABC is easy to find: just follow the signs (and the yellow beer mugs!) to the front door. The atmosphere is warm, friendly, and relaxed. Everyone who works there is super friendly and knowledgeable, and the beer is fantastic. I confess, I was not much of a beer fan before discovering ABC, but now I love it! If you’re not sure what you might like, you can try lots of different samples to get an idea of what you might enjoy. My favorite is the American Blonde.
While going to the brewery is always a good time, there are a couple of regular events that I recommend checking out. ABC normally doesn’t serve food, but if you’re lucky enough to be there on a Tuesday night, you can get one of Big Mike’s famous hot dogs to enjoy along with your beer. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better hot dog in Edmonds (or Puget Sound!), and Mike is as fantastic as his cooking. On Wednesdays, Jeremy hosts Trivia Night, and it’s getting a lot of momentum! I definitely recommend checking it out and seeing how much you really know (or, in my case, how much you really don’t).

I’ve had a lot of great times at ABC, including watching the Seahawks win the Superbowl! It’s a place that I’ve invited friends to, and everyone who has checked it out agrees that it’s a fun place with fantastic beer.
 

Last fall, I was very lucky to be introduced to Rory’s of Edmonds, which is now one of my very favorite places. Rory’s offers a full service bar, a menu full of amazing food, and a view of the Sound (it’s right across the street from the ferry terminal). When the weather’s nice, they have a big deck so that you can sit outside and enjoy the fresh air while you have a drink or a meal. For chillier days (I’ve experienced much more of these since discovering Rory’s!), they have a table that surrounds an indoor fireplace. They’ve also got a lot of big TVs, and I spent many a weekend watching the Seahawks games while enjoying drinks and great food. Everyone who works there is super friendly and attentive.

I’ve been to Rory’s enough to have had quite a few different things on their menu, and everything I’ve eaten has been fantastic. I’m a huge fan of their fresh chips and salsa and the Pound of Love, which is a basket of perfectly-seasoned french fries. Meal-wise, my current menu favorite is the Grilled Turkey and Swiss sandwich. While that may sound like a rather tame choice, it’s probably the best sandwich I’ve ever gotten anywhere in the Northwest. What makes it so special is that instead of your usual mayo or mustard, this sandwich has cranberry sauce on it, making it like a leftover Thanksgiving dinner sandwich. Soooo good!
Rory’s is the first place that I can honestly say I’ve become a “regular” at. Right now I am very much looking forward to summer, and I’m excited to enjoy warm weather from their deck!