The Perfect Man

He's quiet...

He's sweet...

Run, Run


As fast as you can


You can't catch me


I'm the Gingerbread Man!

Party Time

A new blog just for you, BG. :)

The department holiday potluck brought an interlude from work today. I took cranberry meatballs in my recently purchased crockpot, which were seriously good and almost effortless (said effort occurred when I had to lug the whole shebang from the parking lot to the office and again from the cube farm to the conference room, but anyway). In case you are in need of a fast and painless recipe for last-minute party planning or just-showed-up-without-warning guests or just for dinner some night, here goes:

A pound of meatballs...make your own or keep painless in mind and buy them from Costco
1 16-ounce can of whole berry cranberry sauce
1/2 cup Pinot Noir wine...I suppose any red wine would probably work
1 cup packed brown sugar
A couple teaspoons of mustard..use hot, or spicy brown, or whatever is in your fridge, which in my case was honey mustard

I doubled the recipe since I had a big bag of Costco meatballs and kept it in my crockpot on low for about 2 hours and then turned it to the keep warm setting for 2 hours. Enjoy!

Of the making of books there is no end...

If there is a place where time stands still. . .

It is a bookstore.

There are the big box stores that sometimes sell as many gadgets and gifty items as books. . .and there is Elliott Bay Bookstore, with its hardwood floors, several stories, and enough books to keep me busy every rainy Saturday and then some. . .but there is also Third Place Books.

I had seen an advertisement for 40% off used books, so us girls decided to include Third Place in Lake Forest Park in our itinerary last Saturday. They have an amazing collection of just about every imaginable book ever written in both new and used form. I spent most of my time browsing the used book section and came away with some gems, like. . .

Emily Post's Etiquette. In case you are ever in the situation: When invited to the White House, you must arrive several minutes before the hour specified, at the very least. It is an unpardonable breach of etiquette not to be standing in the drawing room when the President makes his entry.

Some poor unsuspecting new bride may someday find themselves the proud owner of Mrs. Dunwoody's Excellent Instructions for Homekeeping. Did you know that 120 drops of water equal 1 teaspoon?

Also on my reading pile: Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love and View from the Summit, Sir Edmund Hillary's autobiography. I'm off to read a few pages. . .

It's Been a While...

Life has brought so many changes, ups and downs and topsy-turvy happenings lately I've been remiss to blog. However, to make up for the coldest June on record we have had a fabulous October.

I can identify with John Muir:

The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.

Also:

No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace as I have seen in one autumnal face. by John Donne

Last weekend I savored the best of autumn:

A pumpkin-themed dinner for girls' night...pumpkin chili, pumpkin rigatoni with goat cheese, pumpkin soup, pumpkin cheesecake, spinach salad with pumpkin seeds, pumpkin trifle, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin bread..all so wonderful!

And then a day spent wandering through the fields picking the perfect pumpkin, carving it up, and eating borscht, squash soup, and bread.

Local Flavor Day

Took some out-of-town guests on a tour Saturday...

We stopped at the Ballard Locks to watch the chinook and coho swimming through and were also treated to a myriad of boats large and small heading through the locks.

Then it was off to Cupcake Royale for lavender cupcakes and Stumptown coffee. Still fabulous, as always.

We topped the day off with dinner at Ivar's Salmon House. Eat here! I had a 70th anniversary special, a $19.38 three-course dinner, which was a side Caesar salad with alder grilled Alaskan sockeye and Ivar's homemade blueberry ice cream.

What a beautiful spot. It's modeled after an Indian long house. The cedar planks and old wooden canoes hanging from the ceiling make for some fabulous decor, the view of the city is unbeatable, and we managed to show up right on time to witness a spectacular sunset.

There's Nothing So Rare as a Day in June

A bright and sunny afternoon. Between jobs. Perfect for exploring.

Destination: West Seattle and Columbia City Farmers' Market.

Equipment: Bike and helmet.

First stop: Metropolitan Market

(http://www.metropolitan-market.com/homeA.php)

The reason for the stop was to buy some broccolini for a recipe I had seen in today's paper: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/food/368100_stayfood25.html. This is a fabulous do-not-miss store. Fresh goods, friendly employees (how often do you actually have a conversation with the cashier while checking out?), everything you could want in a grocery store. I ended up with lunch (multicultural finger food--a spanakopita and a samosa) too.

On to Alki. Parked across the street from Alki Bakery (watch for an upcoming review when I return), got out my bike and started riding. The smell of the saltwater is so rejuvenating. OK, correction here, apparently this is actually the smell of kelp, but no matter, it is wonderful.

I rode in the bike trail along the beach/waterfront. Except for one slight diversion past the trail through a residential neighborhood and around a curve that yielded a delightful view of the Mountain...it pays to go where others (usually) do not go. I stopped at the marker pointing out that Alki is Seattle's birthplace. The Denny party landed there in 1851. And then there is the Lady Liberty statue, our very own replica donated by the Boy Scouts in the 50s.

Right now there is some construction on the sewer going on that provides a minor inconvenience but otherwise it is a pleasant ride. The temperatures were in the 70s so the beach was filled with sun worshippers. I rode to the pier where there is a great view of the city and then it was time to head back to my car to go explore the market (3-7 PM on Wednesdays in summer).

On the way to the market http://www.seattlefarmersmarkets.org/markets/columbia_city I had my first tour of the new light rail lines running through the south Seattle neighborhoods (Beacon Hill, Rainier, etc.) Seeing it is exciting, but we still have a wait. The light rail does not start running until 2009.

The Columbia City market is located in a parking lot at the corner of Rainier & Edmunds. It is a fabulous and colorful place with lots of diversity in people and food. I purchased eastern WA cherries and local strawberries. I also tried and had to buy apriums, which are a mix of apricots and plums (the direct opposite of pluots) and some of the sweetest fruit I have ever tasted. While there I stopped to sample birthday cake (the market is 10 years old) and a fabulous truffle that was lively with various spices (mint and chili were 2 of the spices).

By the way, dinner was great (I used chicken sausage and bowties though).

Thai in T-Town

I'm in my last week of work at my current job, so today my coworkers took me out to lunch at Indochine, http://indochinedowntown.com/, a great place in downtown Tacoma on Pacific. It is beautiful with a fountain flowing in the middle, deep brown wood, and black leather seating. The food is Asian fusion.

We shared a dish of Cashew Chicken, which one of my coworkers preferred but to me was nothing more special than any other cashew chicken dish. We also shared Drunken Beef Noodles, which I thought were fabulous. Beef, veggies, and rice noodles are sauteed together with Thai basil, soy sauce, and rice wine, creating a very tasty combination.

I am not sure I would venture back to Tacoma just to go here, but the atmosphere was definitely worthwhile. It is a good idea for a romantic or special occasion dinner.

First Hike of the Season

Saturday morning...alarm at 6 a.m. is so wrong...the views better be worth it!

I headed north and over Stevens Pass this morning to meet up with some friends who had camped overnight in Lake Wenatchee State Park. (I couldn't go--there is also something wrong about working a full day on a Friday.)
We headed to Leavenworth to park a car and then drove to the Eightmile trailhead. The sky was a deep cerulean blue and the air held warmth and a beautiful breeze. It was thrilling to leave the clouds behind and find nothing blocking the sunshine.

We started seeing wildflowers almost immediately on the trail - lupines, paintbrush, trillium, and mariposa lily. The beautiful color was actually best within the first mile. The trail does not have much elevation gain. There is one switchback to the first lake, about 2 miles in, and then about 1.5 miles and a bit more elevation gain with a couple switchbacks later you come upon Eightmile Lake.

At the first lake we met up with a chipmunk and then at Eightmile Lake we had a visit from a marmot. The chipmunk wandered up to my feet and stared up at me for a few brief seconds. Once I had my camera ready, however, he was out of there. The marmot wasn't quite so friendly, giving us mostly a rear view.

We spent some time at Eightmile Lake, admiring the views, including a possible avalanche across the lake, and watching for more wildlife. Good grub for a wildflower hike is definitely pistachios, cheddar cheese, and chocolate-covered pretzels. Some of the group preferred gnawing on a round of sausage and cracked pepper and olive oil Triscuits, or downing a can of sardines.

On the way back we enjoyed the antics of a Boy Scout group also on the hike, including their group photo on the log bridge over the raging rapids caused by the abundance of snowmelt.

The Sun Still Shines

According to the forcasters, postcasters (is there a term for those who predict the weather after it happens?), news media, and locals, last week was the coldest first week of June on record (dating back to 1894). I am wondering if it was also the wettest...

This evening I shivered out on the porch in attempt to capture the sun's short visit.

Returning Home (observations from a trip back East)

This week I flew back East to spend a week at home for the first time since moving to the Pacific Northwest one year ago. On this trip I realized my perspective has changed and also noticed some of the differences between the left and right coasts. Here are some of my observations:
1. Short trees. Back East they hug the ground and spread together rather than reaching to the sky as they do here. I'm trying to decide if that is a metaphor befitting the people of each area as well?
2. Smoking policies. In Pennsylvania you still have to ask to be seated in the nonsmoking section in a restaurant.
3. The contours of the land. Round gently rolling hills characterize PA; rugged forests and jagged peaks drew me here.
4. Tans. The dark skin from the early spring sunshine on the East Coast was very obvious next to my pasty white winter-is-not-quite-over Seattle skin.
5. Cleanliness. I have gotten used to the availability of toilet seat covers in every public restroom, but back East, even in airport bathrooms, they may or may not exist.

The gently rolling hillsides, quiet life and love of the people back home gripped me this past week, but glimpsing the mountains and the evergreens as my plane neared Seatac reinforced my decision to live here. I'm back, and I'll try to write more often...

Really.Good.Coffee

For several weeks I have been driving past a sign advertising Satellite Coffee on Division Avenue in Tacoma. This afternoon I decided to check them out.

The parking lot has 5 (or is it 6?) spaces. A wooden set of stairs leads to the second story of a small blue space that looks like a mobile home, in which Satellite resides. This is a bare-bones shop: Inside is one table and a bar with 2 stools against the window. The menu is posted on the counter. As far as food, at 2 p.m. there were 4 bagels and 2 scones left beneath the counter. However, the coffee is anything but bare-bones. . .

Go to Satellite for custom-made coffee. I ordered a tall dry cappuccino with a shot of vanilla for some flavor. The barista used a digital timer to pull perfectly-timed shots (oh by the way a tall is automatically 2 shots, the way it should be--in my opinion anyway). Then he proceeded to carefully spoon foam into my cup, making more halfway through because he was unsatisfied with the amount. My foam was not treated, but the customer before me had a well-designed heart in the foam on his latte.

Three customers came in or were already there while I waited for my coffee and they were greeted with their names and questioned about whether they wanted their usual order. I plan to return earlier in the day next week to see what the morning rush is like.

Bottom line: Go to Satellite for good coffee (they use Stumptown coffee from Portland--which they sell by the bag). Do not go if you are in a hurry (that's what Starbucks is for).

Simple Dinners

Note to those of you who actually read this blog: My star reviewer had a bit of an issue with a discrepancy in the last post so the title has been changed...my apologies to any who took exception! :)

On to more important things...

Weeknight dinners...

Last night...

A couple weeks ago I hosted Friday night dinner. On the menu were Rosemary Pecans. A few snack attacks later the result was a Ziploc full of pecan crumbs and rosemary needles. As I was thinking about how to not let perfectly good crumbs go to waste I stopped at the dry cleaner on the way home and a quick dash next door to Metropolitan Market produced an organic chicken breast...got home, threw it in the oven topped with the rosemary pecan crumbs, olive oil and white wine at 400 degrees, and about 45 minutes later I was enjoying a delicously moist chicken breast with hints of rosemary and a crunchy topping.

Disclaimer for gasping calorie-counters: I ate half the chicken breast...the other half is in the refrigerator to aid in a future dinner this week...if it's anything exciting you might hear about the rosemary-pecan crusted chicken again! (I know you will all wait with baited breath...)

Tonight...

Spinach Lentil Soup courtesy of Whole Foods (I don't venture there often...probably because an excursion Sunday afternoon had me oohing and aahing for the better part of an hour...) along with a whole wheat-brie quesadila.

(For the curious wanting to know more about the above photo:

The sugar snap peas in last night's dinner also came from Whole Foods...crisp and bright green after steaming for 2 minutes.

Which leads me to a sidebar regarding dinner for one: I love being able to pick out a handful or two of veggies in the produce section. And hitting the meat counters and finding one chicken breast in a package...

Salad is usually a blend of greens, grape tomatoes, shredded carrots, or whatever other vegetable or fruit happens to reside in my fridge at the moment...probably topped with balsamic vinaigrette.)

Top Ten Things I Love about the Pacific Northwest

Because no blog is complete without a top ten list...

10. The Mountain (you turn a corner...and it takes your breath away...every time)

9. Rain (no, really...it's part of the culture!)

8. Coffee (see number 9)

7. Friendly People

6. Many Shades of Green

5. Maybe I mentioned The Mountain?

4. Perhaps I noted coffee?

3. Multiple ski resorts with plenty of fluffy white stuff, all in less than a day's drive

2. The Food (hmm...I sense another top ten list!)

1. And finally...The Mountain

(sunset on Mt. Rainier as seen from the Stadium District, Tacoma)

Sunny Days in January

The expectation around here in January is a continuous stream of gray and rainy days. Day begins after we arrive at work and ends before we leave work. Coffee provides warmth, or for some, a cup of tea all day long. Curling up with a good book and knitting some new creation are comforting ways to occupy damp, dark evenings. Skiing as often as possible recharges our batteries.

Then suddenly one morning you awaken and realize that a glorious light is streaming in. The sun shines...not one...not two...but five days in a row. While no rain in the city almost certainly means no new snow in the mountains, this is still a thing of beauty. And you do everything possible to make the most of it...

Because a clear blue sky most likely means another bonus...The Mountain is out!

(photo from the pier at a waterfront park, Ruston Way, Tacoma)

Lunch on the Water

Lunch today at C.I. Shenanigan's on the waterfront in Old Town, Tacoma... http://www.cishenanigans.com/tac.php

We were led to a table at the back of the restaurant facing the water. It's an overcast day (as usual) that gradually cleared to blue sky (unusual) as we ate. My first choice: Where to sit? Facing the Olympics and Vashon Island? Or facing the Cascades with Mt. Rainier and her halo peaking over Old Town's architecture? I faced the Olympics, but unfortunately it cleared from the east so my seatmates across the table had the better view...

I tried Republic of Tea's Pomegranate Green Tea, brought to us in a bottle. This was the last bottle, and two of us had ordered it, but the bottle was just right to split between two people and we were only charged for one drink. Very tasty!

Then came bread... slices of sourdough, multigrain, and garlic. Not sure which were tastier, although the garlic bread had the added dimension of an actual roasted clove tucked into it. A pat of butter with a sprig of rosemary on top proved a delightful spread.

I had the warm steak salad. Sauteed mushrooms in a warm creamy dressing sat atop a bed of spinach with barbecued steak, tomatoes and red onion. There was just enough dressing to coat the leaves and flavor the condiments. This was one of the better salads I've had. Apparently their steak comes fresh from a ranch in Idaho. Not quite local, but definitely flavorful.

The service was accommodating and excellent, just enough to be helpful without hovering. I would go back...for lunch again...or for dinner...

And our last view was of a sky becoming more blue and a sailboat floating past Brown's Point while a kayaker paddled past our window with smooth quick strokes.

One Pot Wonders

As part of my holiday gift this year, I received a cookbook titled "one pot wonders" from one of my favorite people--presumably to reduce the amount of dishes when I cook and not because I'm supposed to cook for him...

This morning over a hasty breakfast I paged through the book and landed on "roasted new potatoes with coarse salt and rosemary." Ahhh...just happen to have baby reds in my possession...a side trip to the grocery store for rosemary after the gym and dinner ingredients are ready...

There is something to be said for roasted food. The wait is lengthy, yes, but the scent that floats from the kitchen and that first taste is worth an hour of anticipation.

So tonight...a plate of roasted potatoes dripping with butter/olive oil, garlic and rosemary...a perfect way to end an evening...

Oh, yeah, and I'm certain a Tupperware will find its way to the reason for my splendid dinner.