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After months on hiatus, the Subterfuge team is back in action. Our galavanting all over Seattle, in places both high and low, has been thoroughly engaging. Editor and writer Trenton Flock has continued to attend the most relevant art openings in town. He has equal parts grit and brilliance—my favorite combination of traits. Someday in the near future I'll be holding his novel in my hand and able to boast that he was part of the Subterfuge, the two of us traipsing around Seattle, hitching cabs to every kind of event and party, from the ballet and art openings to underground parties where we dare not mention what happens. I'll reminisce about the plots we hatched to bring people together in a unique way who may otherwise never meet, all for the sake of enjoying a Seattle that some may not even know exists. Contibutor Tristan Uhl,  recently completed his first collection with designs inspired by Alexander McQueen, and is currently interning with Carole McClellan, longtime Seattle designer known for creating fashions for Ann Wilson of Heart and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden. Editor and style writer, Breonie Baylov, has been busy learning the ropes as my stylist's assistant, working with private clients, and  also got a chance to assist on the set of a shoot for a Wndermere ad. Now that many of our  time-consuming projects have come to completion, we can resume our pet project Subterfuge. Don't fret though, we've all been doing our part by partying this whole time. Not only have we kept the partying up, we've also infiltrated other parts of Seattle Society, thus, furthering the cause. You know, the one where we move a stylish, more cosmopolitan culture into being...in a cool way.

The coolest event I attended would have to be the Charlotte Gainsbourg show at The Crocodile. My husband Seth Noble and I were invited to go with two of the most delightful people, Galina and Steven Peterson—a beautiful, fun, intelligent pair, and their friends. Owner of Via Tribunali next door, Mario, joined us and secured our entry into The Crocodile through the back way, which got us a back stage peek at Charlotte and the band— it doesn't get any cooler than that. Charlottte Gainsbourg was dressed in her usual high fashion street gear- a black vest, skinny jeans, heather grey tank, and black leather ropers. The highlight for me was when the band came back and did Serge Gainsboug's "Couleur Cafe"  for the encore. The energy of the crowd was at its peak, and people broke out singing and dancing. For a moment, the world stopped and we are all one love.

My personal endeavors include my new appointment as the Chair of the Silver Bells Luncheon for Providence O'Christmas Trees. This year's event will include a fashion show by Luly Yang which will add much glamour and elegance to the affair. I'm looking forward to working on the team, especially after learning that seniors are the most underrepresented cause in the nonprofit community. Director Patricia Szabo is hands down one of the most fabulous people in Seattle and has assembled the best in town in support of fundraising for Providence. Patricia and I attended the Luly Yang Spring Tea in The Gregorian Room at The Fairmont Olympic Hotel  this month and had a wonderful time previewing the new line. Turns out we have an edgy side in common despite being well mannered. Needless to say, I adore her and the Burberry dress she's wearing in the photo of us together.

The most recent opening at Winston Wachter Fine Arts Gallery featured Julie Speidel and Tracy Rocca who is photographed alongside one of her pieces. Rocca's work is abstract and feminine, though based on literal, natural images that some of the attendees enjoyed deciphering. Regardless of whether or not one could make out the original images, the tone of her paintings is uplifting and fresh. Hers is the kind of work that allows you to be engaged or simply be in the space with it while it unconsciously charms you. On the flipside, sculptor Speidel's work features large and fixed pieces that command your attention. I personally loved her sculptures. They had an Asian and modern feel to them, not too stark but warm and even playful—somehow sexy and austere. It was a packed house with pieces selling to some of Seattle's best art clientele. By best I mean the kind of art collectors who have personalities with edge as well as the bucks. It was fun to observe stylish, good-natured people happy to see each other and connect. It may have something to do with the gallery's curator Dena Rigby, who is herself a beautiful, charming woman. Dena was accompanied by her handsome beau, John Otter, businessman and son of Idaho's governor "Butch" Otter. I love attending WW openings because the artwork is consistently worthy.

The Impeccable Image and Style business has picked up again since this whole economy fiasco, which has been encouraging. The latest and most fun project was styling celebrity chef and mixologist Kathy Casey for her ad with Windermere. I had a lot of fun working with Kathy, who has endless energy. I will say that I wish photographers and video people would watch The September Issue in case they're not sure of a stylist's role during a shoot. It would save a lot time and money. The Windermere people are gracious and lovely, with a solid sense of what they want. I hope I get the chance to work with them again. The ad isn't finished being edited, but the rough cut was encouraging and Kathy was very happy with how she looked. A couple weeks later, Kathy and I attended a somewhat horrible fashion show just for fun, and ended up having a good time. Surprisingly, we found a promising local designer to design her chef's outfit—a lab coat of sorts, refashioned to have a feminine flair, dresslike, yet with elements of the traditional chef's coat. Next on the docket is Kathy's big to-do over the cocktail she designed for Sex and the City 2 which I will be attending with a herd of girlfriends at Palomino in Bellevue on Thursday.

I enjoyed the Kentucky Derby party at The Ruins, a private club where several The Providence O'Christmas Trees volunteers and supporters are members. O'Christmas Trees director, Patricia Szabo was lovely, pictured with her husband Alex, interior designer Philip Sternola, event designer Count Kody, and glamour doll Tony Harris, whose hat took the Best Hat award. My daughter Elizabeth and I were invited by Liza Ragan of Choice Linens. Liza donates her services to Providence O'Christmas Trees for their events and serves on the board. Elizabeth and I were lucky enough to have Philip Sternola and Count Kody design our hats. Once the race got under way, I cringed waiting for a catastrophe on the track as the horses galloped in the mud. When it was over, I was relieved that no one had slipped. Happily, Philip's horse won the race. Later, we trotted off to dressage trainers Jeremy Steinberg and Shauntel Bryant's home for an evening barbeque and fun with a crew of serious horse lovers. My husband and Elizabeth's daddy, Seth Noble, is their much revered farrier.

DJ MB, had a birthday party at Sole Repair last month themed "Golf Pros and Tennis Hoes." MB, Mitch Bate is a cohort of Miguel Alvarado, who is responsible for "Let's Get Dirty" night. I really love these guys. They're incredibly attractive (sans the goofy golf pro attire, but even then the mojo seeped through) and have great energy. I do wish the club crowd was more diverse, but for now, we must settle for private pop up and underground parties. Bellwether lately? In case you haven't heard, the Bellwether parties are my underground parties, which are separate from the cocktail gathering I organize at The Sorrento Hotel. Both are going well, considering I'm not cut out for being this maniacally social. I do from time to time rub people the wrong way if I happen to be in the throes of a panic attack during such an affair. I often wonder how long I can keep pulling these things off given that I'm reclusive by nature. People in large numbers are ah, well... I would prefer to be the anonymous person sitting quietly with a few friends in the back of the room "people watching". It turns out that when you put a party together, the guests actually want to talk with you. Needless to say, it's unsettling. Too bad I'm not much of a drinker. Mitch Bate's birthday party was a really good time; my favorite part was sitting on the couch upstairs with social glamour puss Jiawen Shi and taking in the music. (We pulled this same stunt at Tiesto when he was in Seattle, and sat in the seats in the back.) We later made our way to the dance floor where we spotted some of the cool kids, Erica "Guaca" Berghan and photographer Sarah Takako Skinner, who are back visiting from Paris.

Last Thursday was SIFF Opening Night Red Carpet Gala at Benaroya Hall. My girlfriend, Michelle Quisenberry and her husband Chef Don Curtiss (owners of Volterra Restaurant in Ballard) have been long time supporters of SIFF, and last year Michelle was appointed to the board. She was one of the opening night presenters and did an impressive job in front of 2,500 people. My favorite part of her board member status is that I get invited to go as her date to movies and parties all summer long! Not only did Seth and I attend opening night with Michelle, Don and our girlfriend Jiawen Shi, we spent the weekend attending parties and movies as well. Friday night JJ Mckay and Michelle hosted a party for the cast and crew from "A Little Help". It was written by Michael J. Weithorn, who is known for Family Ties and The King of Queens; produced by Dena Hysell and Joe Gressis, and starred Jenna Fischer from The Office. I especially enjoyed meeting Michael J. Weithorn and Dena Hysell. They were fun to chat with at the after party—both charming and accessible. Saturday afternoon Michelle and I attended a series of shorts which included our good friend Aron Michael Thompson's film Shuffle, which was so compelling that I wished it were longer. I found out later that it is indeed going to be made into a longer film. Later that evening, we attended yet another film "Cyrus".

So far this week I attended the Fine Wine Procurement Party for Providence O'Christmas Trees on Tuesday night from 6:00 to 8:00p.m. at the Westin, followed by the well attended cocktail party I host once a month at The Sorrento Hotel. Thank God for my friends at Volterra, Michelle and Don, who suggested the Leonetti wine and were kind enough to drop it off at my place—I showed up with something worthwhile. I brought along vintners Steven Peterson and Jeff Smyth of La Coye who are set to launch their wine in October. Steven's wife, Galina Peterson and our friend Joanne Glant are the two gorgeous ladies pictured with me and will be attending the Sex and the City 2 preview on Thursday. I am still giddy over the fun we had. In spite of my social anxiety, I absolutely love these people. They are the reason I can look forward to a fabulous social life in Seattle. Stylish, dear, kind and generous people who love to laugh and have a good time. For them, I step out of my loner tendencies. Surely, I'm better for it.

XOXO,

~Sarah