Welcome to the Dancing Foodie Blog
Hey!
I'm Michelle, the dancing foodie.
I’m so happy you found your way here.
This journey to blogging sort of started by accident. But it took me about two seconds (with the help of my hubby) to figure out what was going to be on this blog.
Let’s back up a little bit so it all makes more sense.
Dancer
Dance is my first love.
I was a ballet dancer for 12 years. Like many little girls, I wanted to go pro. I was accepted to a pre-professional program when I started high school but I turned it down.
You can read the full story here.
Although I still LOVE to dance, (I let loose at parties, let me tell ya) it’s all for fun. I enjoy the movement, getting stronger, and feeling graceful in my own skin, something that has taken me years to fully appreciate.
Foodie
I grew up baking cookies and brownies from a box. In high school, I took a class called FOODS (creative, right?). I started to learn about making food from scratch and… it was actually fun. When I got engaged, I learned a lot about baking and cooking with ingredients from my MIL who shares a passion for being in the kitchen.
When I got married, we lived in a small town without much to do. So I spent a lot of time in the kitchen at my in-laws’ house. I learned anything from eyeballing dough consistency in baking to making a creamy alfredo sauce, extra creamy.
In my early 20’s, I did my first round of Whole30. I found out that I have a minor intolerance to dairy so I enjoy vegan, paleo, and Whole30 recipes at home. And when I eat out — I live it up. I eat whatever I want and enjoy every second of it. That’s my balanced approach to food - my food freedom. I still get to eat all of the fun foods that I love without my body screaming at me for it later.
I don’t label myself into one specific way of eating because let’s be real, I love it all. And I believe everyone can eat in a way that makes them feel their best.
Traveler
My husband and I love to travel, especially flying. My husband even wanted to become an airline pilot until we found out that he’s color blind. That was a no go.
My husband, Kevin, and I grew up in Florida. Kevin was born in Germany. Most of our family is still those two areas so they are frequent vacation spots.
You’ll never hear us complain about a trip to the beach or grabbing a lemon Radler down the hill from a legit castle.
I’m a sucker for a hot travel deal so I embrace the challenge of finding the cheapest flights possible. Because then, you have more money to spend on food. It’s a win win. I’ll be sure to share with you how we score cheap flights on trips across the ocean.
Food is such a unique part of each culture so it’s one of my favorite things to dive into on vacation. So far, I’ve been to 11 countries in Europe and the UK with plans to expand the list.
Business Owner
In 2020, I did a crazy thing and started my own business as a copywriter. I drove a school bus for 9 years and when school went totally online, what would they need me for? I found a copywriting course online, dove in, and never looked back.
(Here’s an affiliate link if you’re interested in financial freedom, flexibility, and setting up your own business. You’re worth the investment in yourself!)
I actually never planned on owning my own business. I’ve seen business owners let their businesses run their life instead of the other way around. And I never wanted that for myself and my family.
But thank goodness for mentors who care about things like time for your family and friends, avoiding burnout, and actually doing what you truly enjoy for a living — I’m living that balanced, freelance copywriter life. It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Now, let’s get to the good part.
Seattle, here we come!
Kevin started a new job in Seattle so we moved at the beginning of 2022. While we were looking for a place to live, we stopped at Big Max Burger Co. in Queen Anne. My husband ordered for me so other than the fact that it was some sort of burger, I had no idea what I was about to eat.
They brought out my Hot Mama Hen burger and it looked good — like a burger.
But then… I took the first bite of that crispy buttermilk fried chicken with sweet and spicy bacon chili glaze, topped with housemade ranch on a slightly toasted brioche bun and… *chef’s kiss*.
My eyes rolled back as I said “ Oh. My. Gosh. This is going in the top 5 burger places.”
As I looked like I was making love to my burger (yep, I own it), the general manager pointed to me and said “that’s the reason I work here, to see people enjoy the food that I serve them.”
Then my husband got a brilliant idea.
Not sure how we never thought of it before, to be honest.
We were in a new city full of foodie spots to find and explore. So hubby thought I could start a blog to share our reviews of places we try around Seattle.
Genius, right?
So this blog supports our eating out habits and love of unique, local eats, whether we’re in Seattle or somewhere else in the world.
I’ve expanded the blog to share our travels with you as well — things to do, places to eat, sights to see — the whole shebang. Food is a huge part of our traveling experiences and we enjoy seeing what other cultures enjoy on the regular.
This blog is where I get to combine my passions and spill the tea on our travel “secrets”.
Seattle Food Reviews
We base our restaurant reviews on:
Customer service
Quality
Quantity
Price
Location
Customer service is one of our pet peeves.
And restaurants get bonus points if they’re pet friendly for our little Chihuahua English Shepherd mix, Bear. It sounds weird, but he’s a cutie. And yes, the mom was the Chihuahua.
If you’re a restaurant in Seattle that would like us to review our dining experience with you, send us an email at michelle@michellehauckagency.com.
We’d love to stop by!
In the meantime, don’t be shy.
Come say “hey” on Instagram.
