Fresh Snapshots: Tina Kirkpatrick, Curator, Gilt City Seattle

Fresh Snapshots is a feature at FreshJess.com highlighting some of the best and brightest talents that I've encountered here in Seattle and beyond. In a few brief questions, you'll find out a little more about what makes these fabulous people tick - what lights the fire that inspires them to pursue their passions.

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Do you ever meet someone & understand immediately why you're drawn to them? That's how I felt upon meeting Tina Kirkpatrick, curator for Gilt City Seattle. Tina's got the entrepreneurial spirit and passion for life that I admire in a lot of women, from CRAVE's Melody Biringer and Darcey Howard to Queen Rania and more. I had the chance to interview Tina over a morning coffee date at Bauhaus, and really got to know the lady behind the already popular Gilt City Seattle.

A native of the Seattle area, Tina moved home from Chicago just a few weeks before the Gilt Groupe tapped her to head up their Seattle initiative. After a successful stint in the television industry as well as in directing business at a small floral shop in the Windy City, something was calling for Kirkpatrick to move home. Her work in turning the floral shop into a destination boutique with faithful clientele led to a partnership for the boutique with Gilt City Chicago, where she offered floral design classes with champagne & chocolates at a special package price. Her success as a boutique partner for Gilt City Chicago would lead to the offer to head up Gilt City Seattle upon her move home. Talk about things coming full circle!

I can't think of anyone who is more perfect for this role than Tina. She truly lives and breathes the Gilt City motto of "Love your city more." Having been on the business side of partnering with Gilt City, she carefully curates businesses who resonate with that motto, and features a fantastic diversity of Seattle establishments and experiences.

Tina works with each business to craft a unique Gilt City Seattle deal that's highly coveted but accessible to Gilt members. Each experience offer on Gilt City is the result of Tina's ability to showcase the best of a business while thinking outside of the box. It's really wonderful to see that Gilt City puts a lot of time and care into making sure each business they partner with will benefit from being included.

Kirkpatrick hit the ground running with Gilt City Seattle, assembling offers and experiences from some of Seattle's finest establishments. She launched the initiative in the city with lots of style, creating a Parisian garden pre-launch soiree with Chef Thierry Rautureau for Seattle influencers and a big launch party concert with Best Coast. She promises even more amazing offers from Gilt City Seattle in the weeks to come!

As far as her own favorite Seattle experiences, she says:

"Waking up, going for a jog to the top of Capitol Hill then back down to Pike Place Market. Watching the vendors unpack and set up their goods for the day, then having a coffee at Victor Steinbrueck Park while watching the sun come up over West Seattle."

and

"Spending time at my family's home (which is also part llama farm!) Drinking wine, savoring the mossy grass and the views of the Cascades."

and finally:

"The foam on the coffee at Uptown Espresso!"

I'd call that Northwest Urban Elegance at its finest :) I'm really looking forward to Tina's work in helping the Seattle small business community thrive through Gilt City.

Thanks for your time Tina!