Meet the girls who explore this city with open hearts and minds - ready to try anything once and always willing to try the gems twice. These girls share their personal experiences, knowledge and stories of life in the Emerald City.
Mary Lou Ricci, @marylouricci
Hailing from Montreal and new to Seattle, this past year has been an adventure in new beginnings, new opportunities, and new experiences for Mary Lou. Follow along as she navigates Seattle from the lens of a newcomer -- trying restaurants, discovering shops, satisfying a love for fashion -- while building a road map to a long-lasting relationship in Seattle.
Leena Haija, @leenahaija
After graduating from Eastern Washington University with a degree in Journalism and Public Relations, Leena worked doing marketing and events for Allied Trade Group. She then moved to Hawaii to pursue her career at the Honolulu Design Center as Marketing Manager and is now back in the Pacific Northwest enjoying bi-city life in Seattle and Portland while fulfilling her life passions of helping others and living every day to its fullest. She is currently the Events Marketing Manager at Swiftwater Cellars.
Nadine Haija, @girlsguidecity
Nadine graduated from Clark University in Massachusetts with a double-major in Psychology and Art History. Following graduation, she returned to the west coast, where she kicked off her career in communications and began building her blog, Girls Guide to Seattle. Through dedication, a move, and several asks from girls across the country, the site has grown into a network which includes San Francisco and Portland. Today, Nadine does digital and consumer PR for Microsoft Windows Phone at Waggener Edstrom and spends her free time discovering her newfound love of San Francisco. Follow along as she navigates through a new city, discovers the local gems, makes new friends, and documents the adventures along the way.
About Girls Guide Media
Girls Guide Media aims offer a resource to the young, fabulous & fashionable female on a budget. Each week, city contributors post about great events, hotspot reviews, and life hacks for navigating the city like a pro. Delivered with candor, city sass, and a diverse perspective, we say what we think and are determined to keep you up-to-date on the best parts of your urban playground.
How It Started
Shortly after college, Nadine returned to the west coast and immediately immersed herself in all Seattle had to offer. Though through her newbie adventures, she quickly realized the city was lacking an online resource for the young, budget-conscious urban girl looking to meet new people and discover the city's gems. Identifying the need for this, Nadine decided to share her findings and created Girl's Guide to Seattle. After years of building the site, falling deeper in love with living local, and asks from girls across the country, it was time to expand the network. Thus, in October 2011 the network expanded to San Francisco and Portland and Girls Guide Media was born.
