Cool things (to love!) lately...

iTunes find: Listen to"You, the Night & Candlelight" by Dave Barnes. Original songs plus a sweet remix of "My Girl." It's short, but will leave you wanting more Barnes' music magic.

Cafe oh yay: Check out Circa in West Seattle. Cozy atmosphere? Check. Cheap prices? Check. The best sandwich I've ever tasted (Brie with bacon and fig aioli...trust me!)? Check.

Cause: Habitat for Humanity. If you're from Champions Centre, join us with the Justice Project on the 3rd Saturday of each month to work giving a home...not just a house...to someone in our community.

Chocolate cool: Chocolove candy bars come with a love poem inside (collective "Aww..." required). I recommend "Orange Peel in Dark Chocolate." So buy one for your sweetie. Or for yourself. Because they're just stinkin' good (and you can find them at Target, too!).

Coffee crush: Grab a tall, 1 pump cinnamon dolce mocha at Starbucks. Chocolate + cinnamon + coffee = True love. :)

Chick flick: "Confessions of a Shopaholic" is simple, pure fun. Go with your girls (spare your boyfriend or husband!) if you want to bond over beautiful clothes, crazy comedic moments and a love story.

Chick lit: "I Was Told There'd Be Cake" by Sloane Crosley. It's a collection of essays that will make you laugh. And if you like the movie, check out the Confessions of a Shopaholic series...there's definitely some hilarity there that can't translate to the screen.

Blog: The Recessionista is pretty much perfect for right now. Also, reading people's "25 things" lists on Facebook...you learn things about people you wouldn't normally guess. Some serious, some funny, but all interesting...because they reflect the lives of people you care about.

Bible story you should know (but maybe you don't): David, Nabal and Abigail (I Samuel 25). Great lessons about relationships...thanks, PK.

Cheap night in: Haven't tried this yet, but saw a Redbox nearby and had to look it up. Movie rentals for $1 per night.

Cheap day out: Head to Green Lake on a sunny day and just take a walk, run, or (dare I say it?) skate around. It's a good place to people watch, talk with friends, get some exercise or just enjoy Northwest weather.

Confessions of a traveler: Rent a car with GPS in unfamiliar locales. It may have changed my life. The one I had in L.A. gave these soothing, reaffirming dings when my driver chose the right moves...it was like winning points on a video game (not that I'm familiar with those, Mom). :)

Fun New Restaurant: Jimmy Mac's Roadhouse

It's Saturday night. I order a steak and a dessert with absolutely no guilt because of the prices. Hot date? Nope...dinner with my family at a restaurant pre-opening.

For some reason, my family has all these odd connections to random free stuff ... and this was no exception. We were invited to a pre-opening night party for Jimmy Mac's Roadhouse in Federal Way. We could order anything we wanted off the menu and only had to pay for our soft drinks--cool, huh?

"You're supposed to throw stuff on the floor?!?"

Jimmy Mac's is not fancy, but it's fun. The atmosphere is designed to be like a Texas roadhouse--complete with loud country music and peanut shells on the floor. (I swear that my Dad got so into throwing shells on the floor that he once hit a fellow guest! :) My Mom couldn't bring herself to throw her shells on the floor, so the waiter would sweep them off the table for her.)

The food is BBQ style but much better than Famous Dave's (sorry if you're a superfan!). They also have some healthier options that are really good--I tried some salmon and veggies. But the steak is fantastic...even my Dad (a self-proclaimed steak expert) was impressed. And the prices aren't bad either, especially for lunch.

We had a great time--and so I thought I'd give them some free advertising. :) Jimmy Mac's definitely has a cool casual vibe...and CLG hosts, it might be a fun place to go for a fun night out with your group.