Yumminess to come!

Cheri and I just finished a meeting with Jim and Noel, the general manager and assistant general manager of the Bistro. We discussed having special platters for Spa guests to choose from, getting those photographed for the web site and a menu being up on the web site, as well. This is all getting so very official!

They were a treat to deal with. We will be using the Little Red Bistro from this point on for catered spa sessions. I was imagining we may have to go elsewhere when having someone with dietary restrictions make a reservation, but Jim assured me that they could come up with vegan and gluten-free options.

More Bistro News.

Once the Little Red Bistro is up and running, I will get a chance to sit down with the chef and give input for a special Spa Menu. Choosing a catered spa session will be much more elegant and simple. The idea is to have a variety of platters that will add a culinary delight, while still being sensitive to dietary restrictions and allergies.

Of course, substitutions will be possible. There is even talk of making certain entrees and full meals available to be sent over to the spa. This should be possible not long after our grand opening, as we have applied for a catering license, too.

Still no official date for the opening of the Bistro. However, whenever there is a Little Red Studio event scheduled, Jeff will opening the Bistro to serve drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. As a special occasion, we will be open this Sunday during and after the Seattle Pride Parade.

The Little Red Bistro

I haven't talked much about the Bistro that Jeff is going to open soon. The reason for this lack of comment has everything to do with the nature of dealing with city regulatory agencies; they move slow. It seems like the Bistro has been about to open for business any minute for the last two months.

The Bistro means that the Little red Studio events will no longer be "dry". Our liquor permit was issued this week just in time for the opening of the Aquamarine Show. As part of the Little Red Studio family, the Bistro will have tie-ins with the colored shows. Tonight, not only will be debut the Little Red Bistro as a place to have a glass of wine before the show, we will also debut the Aquamarine Cocktail!

If you have the chance, stop by 400 Dexter Ave. N. and peek in at the amazing job the crew has done in turning the gallery into a bistro and enjoy a glass of wine. The bar will be open before and during the Aquamarine Show tonight, starting at 7pm.

Chocolate recipes?

If you have a recipe that includes chocolate, check out The Chocolate Adventure Contest.

Chef Kim gave me a truffle recipe that I flavored with Pomegranate juice and adapted to include Green Tea with cocoa powder dusting. I am so proud of it that I entered it into the contest.

I am going to make a batch for the next Ladies' Night, which is January 5th.

A Sensual Repast at the Little Red Day Spa

Friday, November 21st @ 8PM
1506 Franklin Ave E.

As our schedules fill from the final push before year's end, we would like to invite you to take a moment to indulge & pamper yourself before we turn that energy to our loved ones. Our final repast of 2008 will be held on November 21st, 8pm at our day spa. Among other things, our own mezzo soprano diva will have an evening gown painted on her by LRS artist, Zan, during the evening at which point we will be serenaded with a few short opera favorites. Also, the cast of "Menage A Trois" will be joining the festivities late in the evening to celebrate the opening night of their show, making this a repast and a cast party all in one.

Menu

~Smoked Salmon

~Fresh Northwest Oysters

~Herbed Pasta & Mushrooms in Broth

~Spinach, Curry Rice with Pomegranates, Pistachios & Cilantro Yogurt

~Cardamom Pork Loin with Figs

~Flourless Chocolate Tort with Warm Ganache & Hand Made Vanilla Bean Ice Cream


Tickets are $100 per person, which includes all but gratuity. For more information or to purchase tickets please call our office at 206-328-4758.

As a reminder, no spa appointments will be scheduled after 5pm on Friday, November 21st, due to preparations for the Sensual Repast. And since we are talking of the schedule, Mondays and Tuesdays have become very busy days, but Wednesday and Thursday is wide open this week. If you are one of those people you doesn't always know their schedule a week in advance, next day appointments can be had this week.

Mmmm... Vanilla!

I splurged and bought fresh vanilla beans. I have never been in possession of such a delectable, potent smelling substance. When I made the change to real vanilla extract after growing up in a family that only used the imitation vanilla extract, I thought that was heavenly. This far surpasses that in aroma.

In honor of these beans, I bought a brand new herb mill. (in reality, it's an electric coffee bean grinder.) After cutting open the pods and scraping out the seeds, I popped the pods into the mill with another whole bean and added them to a strawberry ginger salt scrub. The seeds and one whole other bean chopped up were deposited in a bottle of extra virgin olive oil to make a scented massage oil. Oh my, this is going to be truly decadent.

Two beans I put out to dry and I have yet to decide what to do with the other 5 beans. Do I make more product? Do I cook with them? Can I afford to buy more? Such wonderful dilemmas!

Fun stuff to put on your calendar

The Little Red Studio is hosting a Haunted House as well as our annual Halloween Bash!

The official title is "An Erotic Haunted House: The Dreaming"

Step quietly inside a young woman's dream and experience the erotic through her eyes. Seductive and surprising, sweet and terrifying, The Dreaming is Halloween as only Little Red Studio can offer. Join us for one week only at Seattle's first Erotic Haunted House!

There will be 2 shows per night (7:30 and 9:30pm) every night from Oct. 25th thru Nov. 1st. (There will only be one show at 7:30PM on Friday, October 31st)

Admission: $20 ($5 off if you show up in costume!)
There will be no advance ticket sales or reservations for this event.
Where: 750 Harrison Street
Ages 18 and over only

Halloween Bash! Friday, October 31st

Immediately following the 7:30 performance of The Dreaming, we'll open things up for one of our biggest parties of the year! The Nasty Habits will rock us out again and we'll have many other sexy, scary surprises to thrill and excite you.

Admission: $20
Advance tickets can be purchased at Brown Paper Tickets or reserved by calling 206-328-4758. (Anyone who attends The Dreaming will receive a $5 off coupon for the Halloween Bash!)

Also keep your eyes open for another Sensual Repast announcement for the date of the next Spa hosted dinner.

RSVP for Couple's Spa Night

Couples' Spa Night - 2nd and 4th Sundays!
Reservations Required by 5pm that day (206) 963-0772

7- 10pm
Cost: $25 per couple
Little Red Day Spa
1506 Franklin Ave. E. Seattle

Courtnee is away for the weekend, so I will be hosting this Sunday's Couple's Night. We have a wonderful dessert to share with you that Kim made special for a private dinner on Friday. It was so incredible that he offered to make it for me to offer at Couple's Night. It is a caramel and nut tulle filled with chocolate mousse and on a bed of naked truffle sauce.

Just for Fun.

Hershey Kiss candies are a staple at the Little Red Day Spa. Here is a quiz that I found via MacAliflower's food blog, a place I sometimes look to for inspiration.

Our first Catered Spa Session!

Was a success!

Last week, a couple came in to celebrate a birthday. The woman was a "foodie," her sweetie told me, and wanted to include her taste buds in the pampering. I checked with Chef Kim, and even though 3 days was short notice, he assured me he could come up with something. Because of the surprise nature of the session, Kim set up the food before the start of the session. Everything would be in place so that the birthday girl could have her pick of what she wanted to do first: lunch, Watsu or massage.

The food was beautiful and delicious. (I consider myself very lucky to have been invited to partake.) Kim had arranged on a slab of marble an array of savory and sweet nibbles, most of which that could be eaten by hand. The couple took great delight in feeding each other.

Here is what they feasted on:
Asparagus slightly blanched and then marinated in olive oil & a herb blend, along with artichoke hearts.
Baby onion that had been soaked in a sweet balsamic syrup and then roasted.
A variety of olives and a gorgonzola boursin that tasted wonderful when combined with the dates.
Hand made bread that could be slathered with triple cream blue cheese nested in apricot jam.
Blackened salmon, with a Cajun flair to it, rested on a generous portion of fresh hummus.
A non-dairy, semi-sweet chocolate sauce in a martini glass with strawberries, mango and kiwi for dipping.
Lavender soda water was a raved about finishing touch.

I am so impressed that all of this wonderful food was what he could whip up on short notice. Not that I am surprised, just very pleased with the elegance of presentation and quality of the food. The quantity was notable, as well. The birthday girl gleefully wrapped up and took home enough for a snack.

If you would like to add catering to your spa session or private spa rental, please note that for an optimum culinary experience Chef Kim asks for 7 days notice. The menu will change to reflect what is in seasonal, and any dietary restrictions you may have. Basic catering, as described above, is $50 for a light meal. You can choose savory, sweet, or a combination of the two.

Chef Kim

We had a company meeting yesterday where we discussed how Chef Kim will be integrating catering services into Little Red Studio and the Little Red Day Spa. He has an incredible wealth of experience that ranges from owning his own deli to working in resort restaurants to running coffee shops. In the months he has been involved with LRS, I have noticed that he is particularly gifted in embellishing simple foods and desserts to create delicacies. I had never thought drinking a milkshake could be a decadent experience until he made his strawberry confection from scratch one night last summer.

There are talks of catering Ladies' Night with a light nosh or perhaps even something a little more substantial that can be purchased for those arriving straight from work. Kim has promised me a menu designed for anyone who would like their spa session to include a culinary delight. The idea is to have a seasonal menu so that someone could choose either a vegetarian or non-vegetarian spread for two, that could be considered a light meal of heavy snack, or a more elaborate variety of savory foods or sweet treats (or a combination) to make a more catered meal.

I am truly excited to see what he will come up with, as he is incredibly creative and has a natural ability to know what tastes will come together to delight your palate. Kim also has a great deal of experience working with developing menus around allergies and I have tasted his wheat-free treats. It is impressive with how well he has converted recipes. Good things will be available, very soon!