Sunday, February 28, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Valentine's Day in Tacoma
There was a lot of confusion about what we were doing today.
The original plan was Gig Harbor. Then it changed to Whidbey Island. Then it changed back to Gig Harbor again.
And then we woke up this morning after a night of almost constant pouring rain. We were both tired. And a combination of those two things pretty much made our decision for us. We were going to have a mostly restful day at home and perhaps venture out to the Museum of Glass later.
So I went back to bed around 10 and woke up at noon to...bright sunlight?
That settled it. Something outdoors then.
I decided on Wright Park, which is part of Tacoma's Metro Parks system. They had a conservatory there, art scattered throughout the park, plus it is located in the middle of the historic and architecturally interesting Stadium District, which we'd never been to before.
Just to give a pop culture point of reference - the main landmark in the district is Stadium High School, which was featured prominently in the movie 10 Things I Hate About You. We saw that today as well, but we couldn't find parking close enough for me to get out and photograph it. It's a very impressive building.
Anyway, the park is lovely and seems quite popular. It was busy today. The W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory, which changes its displays every month, had a beautiful predominantly red and pink themed display with tulips, hyacinths and other early spring flowers. They had musicians performing romantic music inside the conservatory as we walked around (I recognized "Romeo & Juliet" but everything we heard them play was lovely).
We were only in the area for about an hour, but I could've stayed longer. It's a charming district and I think I would like to go back and meander about a bit more and explore more of what it has to offer.
Now for some pictures and links about the area:
My Wright Park photos (slideshow)
Wright Park Information - Tacoma Metro Parks website
Stadium High School
Karpeles Manuscript Library (across the street from Wright Park - closed today)
The original plan was Gig Harbor. Then it changed to Whidbey Island. Then it changed back to Gig Harbor again.
And then we woke up this morning after a night of almost constant pouring rain. We were both tired. And a combination of those two things pretty much made our decision for us. We were going to have a mostly restful day at home and perhaps venture out to the Museum of Glass later.
So I went back to bed around 10 and woke up at noon to...bright sunlight?
That settled it. Something outdoors then.
I decided on Wright Park, which is part of Tacoma's Metro Parks system. They had a conservatory there, art scattered throughout the park, plus it is located in the middle of the historic and architecturally interesting Stadium District, which we'd never been to before.
Just to give a pop culture point of reference - the main landmark in the district is Stadium High School, which was featured prominently in the movie 10 Things I Hate About You. We saw that today as well, but we couldn't find parking close enough for me to get out and photograph it. It's a very impressive building.
Anyway, the park is lovely and seems quite popular. It was busy today. The W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory, which changes its displays every month, had a beautiful predominantly red and pink themed display with tulips, hyacinths and other early spring flowers. They had musicians performing romantic music inside the conservatory as we walked around (I recognized "Romeo & Juliet" but everything we heard them play was lovely).
We were only in the area for about an hour, but I could've stayed longer. It's a charming district and I think I would like to go back and meander about a bit more and explore more of what it has to offer.
Now for some pictures and links about the area:
My Wright Park photos (slideshow)
Wright Park Information - Tacoma Metro Parks website
Stadium High School
Karpeles Manuscript Library (across the street from Wright Park - closed today)
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Edmonds
My friend and fellow travel writer Lisa went with me up to Edmonds today, a charming town about 30 minutes north of Seattle on the Puget Sound. We signed up for a free digital travel photography class at the Rick Steves' Travel Center, so we figured we might as well putter around for a bit while we were at it.
It was a chilly and rainy day, and we were both fighting fatigue, but I think we managed to have a pretty good day. I enjoyed Edmonds quite a bit.
We arrived with about an hour to spare before we had to check in for our class, so we decided to have an early lunch (or brunch...however you want to look at it). We parked next to a restaurant called Chanterelle, which I made note of when I was doing my research. So we decided to eat there because it looked really cute from the outside. It's a popular local spot, and we could see why. It has a quaint vintage feel, complete with vintage French posters, wooden beams and exposed ductwork along the ceiling. They were still serving breakfast when we got there (around 11 am). I ordered smoked salmon scrambled eggs (complete with cream cheese and green onions), grilled potatoes and toasted sourdough bread with jam. Delicious. Lisa also enjoyed her eggs, sausage, potatoes and English muffin.
We left the restaurant around 11:30 or so and walked around the corner to Europe Through the Back Door, Rick Steves' headquarters. After perusing the travel shop for a bit, we found the classroom where our class was being held and waited, chatting to some other folks who were also joining in.
The class was taught by John Greengo, a travel photographer for Travels to the Edge with Art Wolfe. It was more of a lecture than a class, really. Wonderful Powerpoint presentation and very informative. I definitely took away some information that will help me improve my photography.
As much as I liked the class and found it useful, I do have one small complaint. They crammed as many people as they possibly could into a tiny classroom, so it was claustrophobic and stuffy. Keep that in mind if you ever decide to attend a class at the Rick Steves' Travel Center (they do sometimes have classes in other locations around town). I was really uncomfortable for much of the time.
Anyway, after the class was over, we wandered around. Here's the part where I make my list of recommendations in Edmonds:
As I mentioned before, Chanterelle is the place to eat:
http://chanterellewa.com/
Arista Wine Cellars have free wine tastings every Saturday. Today was Valentine's Day themed, with some sparkling wines and red wines from Washington, California, Italy, South Africa and I'm not sure where else. A wonderful shop with a nice variety of wines and wine-related gifts.
http://www.aristawines.com/
The Resident Cheesemonger is where you want to go for all your cheese needs. Yes, you have to be able to withstand the smells of pungent cheeses, because those are sold in abundance. But you'll find a great variety, along with chutneys, spreads, olives, crackers, sausage, dried fruit, and any other possible food that complements cheeses. You'll also find cheese boards, cheese knives and other accessories.
http://www.residentcheesemonger.com
Want to stop for coffee and something sweet? Well do it, but for the love of all that is holy, do not go to Starbucks. Yes, Edmonds has one (there's also a Tully's), but we really liked Red Twig Bakery & Cafe. We shared a Nanaimo bar and we each ordered a latte and it was the perfect afternoon pick-me-up. The prices for coffee and pastries, I might add, are comparable to Starbucks. So support a great local place - they also serve breakfast and lunch.
http://www.redtwig.com
And of course, the reason why we were there - The Rick Steves' Travel Center:
http://www.ricksteves.com
I want to plug John Greengo a bit too. He's an amazing travel photographer and he does a webcast that's growing in popularity. You can get more information on that here:
http://creativetechs.com/training/john-greengo/
I didn't take many pictures. It was raining pretty hard and I had an umbrella, which makes it a bit difficult to take photos one-handed. I just wish I could've gotten some more interesting photos. But here are some randoms.
The coffee bean roaster at Red Twig
An old-time strip mall called Old Milltown. There was a Quizno's, a pizza place and a salon, among other things. Yes, notice the trees are blossoming. Early spring comes to the Pacific Northwest.
This photo and the following 2 photos all depict public art/memorials near the Kingston Ferry terminal.
It was a chilly and rainy day, and we were both fighting fatigue, but I think we managed to have a pretty good day. I enjoyed Edmonds quite a bit.
We arrived with about an hour to spare before we had to check in for our class, so we decided to have an early lunch (or brunch...however you want to look at it). We parked next to a restaurant called Chanterelle, which I made note of when I was doing my research. So we decided to eat there because it looked really cute from the outside. It's a popular local spot, and we could see why. It has a quaint vintage feel, complete with vintage French posters, wooden beams and exposed ductwork along the ceiling. They were still serving breakfast when we got there (around 11 am). I ordered smoked salmon scrambled eggs (complete with cream cheese and green onions), grilled potatoes and toasted sourdough bread with jam. Delicious. Lisa also enjoyed her eggs, sausage, potatoes and English muffin.
We left the restaurant around 11:30 or so and walked around the corner to Europe Through the Back Door, Rick Steves' headquarters. After perusing the travel shop for a bit, we found the classroom where our class was being held and waited, chatting to some other folks who were also joining in.
The class was taught by John Greengo, a travel photographer for Travels to the Edge with Art Wolfe. It was more of a lecture than a class, really. Wonderful Powerpoint presentation and very informative. I definitely took away some information that will help me improve my photography.
As much as I liked the class and found it useful, I do have one small complaint. They crammed as many people as they possibly could into a tiny classroom, so it was claustrophobic and stuffy. Keep that in mind if you ever decide to attend a class at the Rick Steves' Travel Center (they do sometimes have classes in other locations around town). I was really uncomfortable for much of the time.
Anyway, after the class was over, we wandered around. Here's the part where I make my list of recommendations in Edmonds:
As I mentioned before, Chanterelle is the place to eat:
http://chanterellewa.com/
Arista Wine Cellars have free wine tastings every Saturday. Today was Valentine's Day themed, with some sparkling wines and red wines from Washington, California, Italy, South Africa and I'm not sure where else. A wonderful shop with a nice variety of wines and wine-related gifts.
http://www.aristawines.com/
The Resident Cheesemonger is where you want to go for all your cheese needs. Yes, you have to be able to withstand the smells of pungent cheeses, because those are sold in abundance. But you'll find a great variety, along with chutneys, spreads, olives, crackers, sausage, dried fruit, and any other possible food that complements cheeses. You'll also find cheese boards, cheese knives and other accessories.
http://www.residentcheesemonger.com
Want to stop for coffee and something sweet? Well do it, but for the love of all that is holy, do not go to Starbucks. Yes, Edmonds has one (there's also a Tully's), but we really liked Red Twig Bakery & Cafe. We shared a Nanaimo bar and we each ordered a latte and it was the perfect afternoon pick-me-up. The prices for coffee and pastries, I might add, are comparable to Starbucks. So support a great local place - they also serve breakfast and lunch.
http://www.redtwig.com
And of course, the reason why we were there - The Rick Steves' Travel Center:
http://www.ricksteves.com
I want to plug John Greengo a bit too. He's an amazing travel photographer and he does a webcast that's growing in popularity. You can get more information on that here:
http://creativetechs.com/training/john-greengo/
I didn't take many pictures. It was raining pretty hard and I had an umbrella, which makes it a bit difficult to take photos one-handed. I just wish I could've gotten some more interesting photos. But here are some randoms.
The coffee bean roaster at Red Twig
An old-time strip mall called Old Milltown. There was a Quizno's, a pizza place and a salon, among other things. Yes, notice the trees are blossoming. Early spring comes to the Pacific Northwest.
This photo and the following 2 photos all depict public art/memorials near the Kingston Ferry terminal.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Holy Spirit Retreat Center - Janesville, Minnesota
This is a little different from the posts I usually write, since it has to do with a spiritual retreat, which isn't quite the same as pleasure travel. But I feel this is worth mentioning and might be of interest to some people.
My husband and I were visiting his relatives in Minnesota over Christmas. His aunt Marita is a nun who lives at the Holy Spirit Retreat Center in Janesville, Minnesota. We drove out there on December 23rd to visit her.
She lives in the main house with 2 other nuns: Sister Joanne and Sister Monique. After coffee, cookies and chat, Sister Marita gave us a tour of the grounds. We started with the main house, which has rooms available for people who come for individual retreats. The rooms are, as you can imagine, sparsely furnished. But that's for a good reason. You cannot, after all, focus on your spirituality if you're distracted. However, all the rooms overlook a beautiful lake. I was thinking the entire time that it would be a wonderful place to go for a writing retreat.
Our next stop was the group retreat facility, which can accommodate 35 people for overnight stays and 50 for meals. This facility has a library, common room, conference room, small nondenominational chapel, and a huge kitchen and dining space. There is also a big screen TV for presentations and films (and Super Bowl parties, as the nuns apparently are contemplating having one). Again, all the rooms (2 twins or double beds) are sparsely furnished.
There are also three hermitages with wonderful lake views. One is already occupied by a nun. The others are available for individuals who want to take a spiritual retreat. One is handicapped accessible and has a screened-in porch. They're both small, but they have twin beds, small desks, bookshelves, bathrooms with showers, kitchenettes, and boomboxes. There will be another hermitage built soon.
I didn't take pictures because it was blustery and cold and snowy at the time, and I was just focused on getting indoors where it was toasty warm. However, the sisters have a website for the retreat center, if it is of interest to anyone who is looking for a quiet place for spiritual contemplation and reflection. The nuns are available for spiritual counseling and discussion, and you can be of any faith. I was fascinated by this tour and wouldn't mind a getaway there myself, although I would, as I said, probably spend it more for a quiet writing retreat than anything else. The grounds are simply gorgeous.
Links:
Sisters of St. Francis - Holy Spirit Retreat Center (This has information about the retreat center, but is more focused on the Franciscans of Rochester, Minnesota. There are photos, and it's been recently updated.)
Holy Spirit Retreat Center official website (a bit outdated)
My husband and I were visiting his relatives in Minnesota over Christmas. His aunt Marita is a nun who lives at the Holy Spirit Retreat Center in Janesville, Minnesota. We drove out there on December 23rd to visit her.
She lives in the main house with 2 other nuns: Sister Joanne and Sister Monique. After coffee, cookies and chat, Sister Marita gave us a tour of the grounds. We started with the main house, which has rooms available for people who come for individual retreats. The rooms are, as you can imagine, sparsely furnished. But that's for a good reason. You cannot, after all, focus on your spirituality if you're distracted. However, all the rooms overlook a beautiful lake. I was thinking the entire time that it would be a wonderful place to go for a writing retreat.
Our next stop was the group retreat facility, which can accommodate 35 people for overnight stays and 50 for meals. This facility has a library, common room, conference room, small nondenominational chapel, and a huge kitchen and dining space. There is also a big screen TV for presentations and films (and Super Bowl parties, as the nuns apparently are contemplating having one). Again, all the rooms (2 twins or double beds) are sparsely furnished.
There are also three hermitages with wonderful lake views. One is already occupied by a nun. The others are available for individuals who want to take a spiritual retreat. One is handicapped accessible and has a screened-in porch. They're both small, but they have twin beds, small desks, bookshelves, bathrooms with showers, kitchenettes, and boomboxes. There will be another hermitage built soon.
I didn't take pictures because it was blustery and cold and snowy at the time, and I was just focused on getting indoors where it was toasty warm. However, the sisters have a website for the retreat center, if it is of interest to anyone who is looking for a quiet place for spiritual contemplation and reflection. The nuns are available for spiritual counseling and discussion, and you can be of any faith. I was fascinated by this tour and wouldn't mind a getaway there myself, although I would, as I said, probably spend it more for a quiet writing retreat than anything else. The grounds are simply gorgeous.
Links:
Sisters of St. Francis - Holy Spirit Retreat Center (This has information about the retreat center, but is more focused on the Franciscans of Rochester, Minnesota. There are photos, and it's been recently updated.)
Holy Spirit Retreat Center official website (a bit outdated)
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Tourism Matters Symposium
I was invited by the Tacoma Regional Convention + Visitor Bureau to attend the Tourism Matters Symposium today at the Courtyard by Marriott in downtown Tacoma. The symposium included breakfast and lunch catered by the wonderful Pacific Grill. I had no idea what to expect, but it ended up being very fun and informative. This is going to be a fairly link-heavy post, but that's only because I met so many great folks there who deserve your patronage. I'll put all the links at the bottom.
For starters, I met a fellow attendee in the parking lot. We just started randomly talking, and she asked me if I was going to the symposium. So we walked there together. She told me she worked for the Hampton Inn & Suites Tacoma. Once we got inside and checked in (my name tag even said "Itinerant Writer" on it), she got together with the other Hampton Inn folks to set up their vendor booth. They were giving away a Nintendo Wii, so I was invited to play a few rounds of Super Mario Kart with them. It was fun, but I was soundly defeated. Turns out, I'm a reckless driver when it comes to the Wii. Who knew?
While we waited for the ballroom to open up, we stood around and mingled a bit. I looked over the Tacoma & Pierce County tourism booklets. Spoke with the representative from Fife Flowers, who did the lovely centerpieces for the tables. Drank some coffee. Took a look at other vendor booths, including Stina's Cellars.
The ballroom finally opened, and there was open seating for breakfast. I found myself sitting next to two nice women from Seattle Southside Visitor Services. To be honest, I had no idea such an organization existed. They cover tourism in Tukwila, Sea Tac, Kent, and Des Moines. I also sat with a couple of women who worked for the Pierce County government. The breakfast (which was great: croissant, fruit and mini broccoli and egg casseroles) took place during the annual meeting and business plan.
I want to make a few important points that I took away from this meeting.
Why does tourism matter?
- Pierce County gets 4.735 million visitors.
- These visitors have generated 11,360 jobs.
- These visitors spend $968 million, which generates $71.6 million in tax receipts.
After the breakfast meeting, we had a 20 minute break before the expert panels. There were three: Tour + Travel, Meetings + Events, and Marketing + Public Relations. I attended the Tour + Travel panel. The two experts on that panel were Jake Haupert from EverGreen Escapes and Michael Rogers from Beeline Tours and Seattle Food Tours.
It was an insightful panel. They talked a lot about how they got started in the industry, how they started their businesses, how they run their businesses, do their marketing, etc. It was very inspiring to hear the passion in their voices that they have for their work. These are guys who clearly love what they do and bend over backwards to accommodate their clients.
The panel lasted about an hour and then it was almost time for the awards luncheon. We had assigned tables for that, so I ended up sitting with 2 folks from Hampton Inn & Suites, 2 guys from Hotel Murano, C.R. Roberts from The News Tribune, and 2 people from the Tacoma Regional Convention + Visitor Bureau (including Zak, who invited me). Lunch was salmon with pesto, grilled chicken with beurre blanc, mashed potatoes, asparagus and individual apple tarts. Delicious.
On to the awards!
If you're interested, a quick summary by C.R. Roberts here.
After the presentation of the awards, that was pretty much it! It seems some people stayed and mingled, but I actually had to head home. I had quite a few projects I needed to get done.
Thanks to Zak from the Tacoma Regional Convention + Visitor Bureau for the invitation. It was interesting and really motivated me to get out there and explore more of Tacoma and Pierce County! It was also really nice to meet people in the industry.
Links:
- Tacoma Regional Convention + Visitor Bureau
- Pacific Grill
- Fife Flowers
- Stina's Cellars
- Seattle Southside Office of Tourism
- EverGreen Escapes
- Seattle Food Tours
- Beeline Tours
- Hotel Murano (named one of the top 100 hotels in the U.S. in Conde Nast Traveler's Reader's Choice Awards.
- Hampton Inn & Suites Tacoma
- Marriott Courtyard Downtown Tacoma
For starters, I met a fellow attendee in the parking lot. We just started randomly talking, and she asked me if I was going to the symposium. So we walked there together. She told me she worked for the Hampton Inn & Suites Tacoma. Once we got inside and checked in (my name tag even said "Itinerant Writer" on it), she got together with the other Hampton Inn folks to set up their vendor booth. They were giving away a Nintendo Wii, so I was invited to play a few rounds of Super Mario Kart with them. It was fun, but I was soundly defeated. Turns out, I'm a reckless driver when it comes to the Wii. Who knew?
While we waited for the ballroom to open up, we stood around and mingled a bit. I looked over the Tacoma & Pierce County tourism booklets. Spoke with the representative from Fife Flowers, who did the lovely centerpieces for the tables. Drank some coffee. Took a look at other vendor booths, including Stina's Cellars.
The ballroom finally opened, and there was open seating for breakfast. I found myself sitting next to two nice women from Seattle Southside Visitor Services. To be honest, I had no idea such an organization existed. They cover tourism in Tukwila, Sea Tac, Kent, and Des Moines. I also sat with a couple of women who worked for the Pierce County government. The breakfast (which was great: croissant, fruit and mini broccoli and egg casseroles) took place during the annual meeting and business plan.
I want to make a few important points that I took away from this meeting.
Why does tourism matter?
- Pierce County gets 4.735 million visitors.
- These visitors have generated 11,360 jobs.
- These visitors spend $968 million, which generates $71.6 million in tax receipts.
After the breakfast meeting, we had a 20 minute break before the expert panels. There were three: Tour + Travel, Meetings + Events, and Marketing + Public Relations. I attended the Tour + Travel panel. The two experts on that panel were Jake Haupert from EverGreen Escapes and Michael Rogers from Beeline Tours and Seattle Food Tours.
It was an insightful panel. They talked a lot about how they got started in the industry, how they started their businesses, how they run their businesses, do their marketing, etc. It was very inspiring to hear the passion in their voices that they have for their work. These are guys who clearly love what they do and bend over backwards to accommodate their clients.
The panel lasted about an hour and then it was almost time for the awards luncheon. We had assigned tables for that, so I ended up sitting with 2 folks from Hampton Inn & Suites, 2 guys from Hotel Murano, C.R. Roberts from The News Tribune, and 2 people from the Tacoma Regional Convention + Visitor Bureau (including Zak, who invited me). Lunch was salmon with pesto, grilled chicken with beurre blanc, mashed potatoes, asparagus and individual apple tarts. Delicious.
On to the awards!
If you're interested, a quick summary by C.R. Roberts here.
After the presentation of the awards, that was pretty much it! It seems some people stayed and mingled, but I actually had to head home. I had quite a few projects I needed to get done.
Thanks to Zak from the Tacoma Regional Convention + Visitor Bureau for the invitation. It was interesting and really motivated me to get out there and explore more of Tacoma and Pierce County! It was also really nice to meet people in the industry.
Links:
- Tacoma Regional Convention + Visitor Bureau
- Pacific Grill
- Fife Flowers
- Stina's Cellars
- Seattle Southside Office of Tourism
- EverGreen Escapes
- Seattle Food Tours
- Beeline Tours
- Hotel Murano (named one of the top 100 hotels in the U.S. in Conde Nast Traveler's Reader's Choice Awards.
- Hampton Inn & Suites Tacoma
- Marriott Courtyard Downtown Tacoma
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
Today, as you know, is Veterans' Day, and with my husband being in the military, we can sometimes get some nice perks.
One of those perks today was free admission to Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. We have never been there, and I've been wanting to go. Luckily for us, the weather is also fantastic today. Beautiful blue skies, lots of sun, and a chill in the air which was not at all uncomfortable.
I'm not going to say much about the zoo. It's not the best zoo I've ever been to. It's actually pretty small. But it's in a gorgeous setting. I've never seen a zoo in a prettier area, actually. And it has a couple of fantastic things going for it: the polar bear exhibit and the walruses.
The polar bear exhibit BLEW MY MIND. We got there when the feeding was taking place. You can see the bears both above and below water. One of the bears came up to the glass right next to us, and stuck its paw on the glass. Only a couple panes of thick glass separated us. It was amazing.
The walruses were like that too. We didn't really see them well from above the water, so we went to where we could watch them underwater. And they kept swimming up to the glass on their backs, and then flipping over against the glass and swimming up to the top of the water. It was really cool.
I also liked the aquarium quite a bit - particularly the seahorse exhibit.
Lance and I both enjoyed our trip to the zoo today. It only took a couple hours to get through everything, so we were done by noon. We stopped at a few other places in the vicinity: Owen Beach and Fort Nisqually (which is a museum, so we didn't go in, but you can see parts of the fort from outside). And then we headed back toward home, stopping at Applebee's (free entrees for active duty and veterans!) for lunch on the way.
Without further ado...
Click here for pictures!
One of those perks today was free admission to Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. We have never been there, and I've been wanting to go. Luckily for us, the weather is also fantastic today. Beautiful blue skies, lots of sun, and a chill in the air which was not at all uncomfortable.
I'm not going to say much about the zoo. It's not the best zoo I've ever been to. It's actually pretty small. But it's in a gorgeous setting. I've never seen a zoo in a prettier area, actually. And it has a couple of fantastic things going for it: the polar bear exhibit and the walruses.
The polar bear exhibit BLEW MY MIND. We got there when the feeding was taking place. You can see the bears both above and below water. One of the bears came up to the glass right next to us, and stuck its paw on the glass. Only a couple panes of thick glass separated us. It was amazing.
The walruses were like that too. We didn't really see them well from above the water, so we went to where we could watch them underwater. And they kept swimming up to the glass on their backs, and then flipping over against the glass and swimming up to the top of the water. It was really cool.
I also liked the aquarium quite a bit - particularly the seahorse exhibit.
Lance and I both enjoyed our trip to the zoo today. It only took a couple hours to get through everything, so we were done by noon. We stopped at a few other places in the vicinity: Owen Beach and Fort Nisqually (which is a museum, so we didn't go in, but you can see parts of the fort from outside). And then we headed back toward home, stopping at Applebee's (free entrees for active duty and veterans!) for lunch on the way.
Without further ado...
Click here for pictures!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
*sigh*
Well, traveling may feed the soul, but buying a new furnace saved our lives.
We had to cancel our planned trip to the Olympic Peninsula this weekend because of an unforeseen circumstance. We had someone out yesterday to service our 20-year-old furnace, and he found that it's been leaking carbon monoxide into our house. We found our own carbon monoxide detector, which confirmed this.
So we have a new furnace. And no weekend trip. As much as I enjoy not breathing poisonous gasses, I'm a bit sad we're not going. I needed a change of scenery.
For now, the blog will have to be put on hold...until we're on the road again. The next planned trip is Minnesota for Christmas, but I certainly hope we'll at least take a day trip somewhere before then. We're talking about the German Christmas Market at Leavenworth.
We had to cancel our planned trip to the Olympic Peninsula this weekend because of an unforeseen circumstance. We had someone out yesterday to service our 20-year-old furnace, and he found that it's been leaking carbon monoxide into our house. We found our own carbon monoxide detector, which confirmed this.
So we have a new furnace. And no weekend trip. As much as I enjoy not breathing poisonous gasses, I'm a bit sad we're not going. I needed a change of scenery.
For now, the blog will have to be put on hold...until we're on the road again. The next planned trip is Minnesota for Christmas, but I certainly hope we'll at least take a day trip somewhere before then. We're talking about the German Christmas Market at Leavenworth.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Traveling Feeds the Soul
I'm so thrilled that we'll be on the road again in 2 weeks. Our 6th wedding anniversary is October 18th, and we're leaving very early on the 17th to drop the dog off at boarding and head up to the Olympic Peninsula for the weekend. Unfortunately, we made the plans too late to get a room at my ideal kind of place. I like quirky, charming hotels run by a friendly staff. Rooms at these types of places were either booked up or out of our price range, so we're staying at a Quality Inn in Port Angeles. It's just for one night, and we'll be out exploring all day anyway, so we'll only need our hotel room for sleep. But let this be a lesson to you - book early! Quality Inn is fine, but lacks the ambience that one requires for a romantic anniversary weekend. Am I right?
And I have free lunch vouchers at the Oak Table Cafe in Sequim, thanks to the wonderful owners (who are former clients of mine from when I worked at Paychex). I can't wait!
It's going to be a fun weekend.
Anyway, that's not the point of this post. I'm just excited.
Yesterday, I tried out a new (to me) place - Bittersweet Restaurant in Kent. They're open for breakfast and lunch. I was there for lunch, and on a chilly day such as yesterday, their chicken enchilada casserole hit the spot. Exactly the right sized portion. It came with a side salad.
Service is super friendly. The ambience is nice. Bittersweet likes to display the works of local artists. And TRY THEIR PIE!! I got to swipe a bite of my friend's chocolate pie (she got the last piece) and it was very mousse-like. Super delicious. I ordered the coconut cream pie, which was also very good. Pie slices are extremely generous.
Lunches at Bittersweet are nicely priced - under $10 for sandwich platters (which come with chips) and entrees (which come with salads). They also have daily specials, 2 soups of the day, and meal-sized salads. I will be back.
https://bittersweetrestaurant.wordpress.com/
ETA: Bittersweet Restaurant has since closed. Its last day of business was May 15th, 2010.
Tonight, I'm going back to The Red House to enjoy tapas and drinks with my friend Lisa. I love that place. I already posted about it here.
And I have free lunch vouchers at the Oak Table Cafe in Sequim, thanks to the wonderful owners (who are former clients of mine from when I worked at Paychex). I can't wait!
It's going to be a fun weekend.
Anyway, that's not the point of this post. I'm just excited.
Yesterday, I tried out a new (to me) place - Bittersweet Restaurant in Kent. They're open for breakfast and lunch. I was there for lunch, and on a chilly day such as yesterday, their chicken enchilada casserole hit the spot. Exactly the right sized portion. It came with a side salad.
Service is super friendly. The ambience is nice. Bittersweet likes to display the works of local artists. And TRY THEIR PIE!! I got to swipe a bite of my friend's chocolate pie (she got the last piece) and it was very mousse-like. Super delicious. I ordered the coconut cream pie, which was also very good. Pie slices are extremely generous.
Lunches at Bittersweet are nicely priced - under $10 for sandwich platters (which come with chips) and entrees (which come with salads). They also have daily specials, 2 soups of the day, and meal-sized salads. I will be back.
https://bittersweetrestaurant.wordpress.com/
ETA: Bittersweet Restaurant has since closed. Its last day of business was May 15th, 2010.
Tonight, I'm going back to The Red House to enjoy tapas and drinks with my friend Lisa. I love that place. I already posted about it here.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Free Museum Day
If you have Saturday free, you might want to consider visiting a museum. There's a good chance you can get in free.
Click here for more information.
Locals may want to check out this site instead. Lots of good museums to see at no charge!
http://www.yelp.com/events/seattle-smithsonian-free-museum-day
Click here for more information.
Locals may want to check out this site instead. Lots of good museums to see at no charge!
http://www.yelp.com/events/seattle-smithsonian-free-museum-day
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Evening Magazine Video On Demand | Seattle News, Local News, Breaking News, Weather | KING5.com
If you come to Seattle, I suggest not asking any of the following questions:
Evening Magazine Video On Demand | Seattle News, Local News, Breaking News, Weather | KING5.com
Posted using ShareThis
Evening Magazine Video On Demand | Seattle News, Local News, Breaking News, Weather | KING5.com
Posted using ShareThis
What's a Girl Like Me Doing in a Place Like This?
Some context to this piece: I think I wrote this about 4 years ago or so. We had been living in Germany for a couple of years by this point. It was just something I started writing. I didn't know exactly where I was going with it at the time.
Anyway, I was just going through some old floppy disks this morning and I came across this. I had completely forgotten about it, but I realize now that this is more or less a brainstorming session for the memoir I started writing early last year about our life in Germany. Many of the same thoughts made their way into the prologue.
***
It’s kind of interesting, living overseas. You get to see what it’s like being “the other” for a change, having people look at you because of your American mannerisms and your inability to speak their language. For once, you are the strange foreigner, working hard to try to fit into their mold. It’s a very eye-opening experience, let me tell you. There are times when I find myself feeling awkward and embarrassed while trying to complete the most mundane of tasks, such as buying produce at the grocery store. Things are similar, but different. And if, God forbid, the cashier at the grocery store tries to speak to me, that deer in headlights look I give her always forces her to switch to English without me even having to ask. Fortunately for me, I live in a community with a lot of foreigners from many different countries. English is the lingua franca here. Most people in the area speak it well, even if it’s not their native language.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve dreamed of living abroad for a long time. I took French in high school and fantasized about studying at the Sorbonne, reading fine works of literature and having deep discussions in French over a croissant and a café au lait. Except I hate coffee. But that’s only a minor detail. In reality, I barely learned enough French to order a café au lait. And besides that, my aunt had many French friends about my age that came and stayed with her during the summer. Trying to converse with them shattered any illusions I had about an academic life in Paris. I felt like an awkward, bumbling idiot, not a breezy Francophile college student who sits in cafes and reads Le Monde. Yet even fifteen years later, there is a romance about that image that appeals to me.
French lost its allure after high school. I moved on to college and majored in English Literature, fantasizing about living in London and discussing Shakespeare over some fish and chips and a beer at the pub. Except that I hate beer. But cider with black currant makes a fine substitute. My dream to live in England partially came true. For one brief and brilliant summer during college, I was privileged to participate in a study abroad program in Bath. No, it wasn’t London, but Bath was exciting and beautiful and has a great literary history as well. And we took some trips to London anyway. And yes, I did get to discuss Shakespeare over fish and chips. I’ve had a love affair with England ever since, and I would jump at the chance to live there if the opportunity presented itself. That is one fantasy that I think will never fade, especially since I speak the language.
Ultimately, I ended up living in Europe, but not where I thought I would. Oddly enough, I am living in Germany. I’m not a student (at least not in the academic sense; I am a student of life), and I don’t spend my time in cafes or pubs. I didn’t fall head over heels in love with a European and follow him here on a whim (yet another old fantasy of mine). I fell in love with a perfectly wonderful American who happened to be in the military. He can’t discuss Shakespeare over fish and chips at a pub, but he will drink beer. He can’t speak French over a café au lait, but he will eat croissants. When we started dating, the possibility of living in Europe never really entered our minds. But as he started thinking about a possible assignment in Germany, I vowed to learn how to polka and cook a mean bratwurst, neither of which I do now.
We live in a small village in a rural area near the Dutch border. It’s not nearly as exciting as a big city like Paris or London, but it has its own charm. I’ve grown quite fond of sheep and goats. Seeing them everyday, you learn to love them. I have even gotten used to the smell of fertilizer. This truly is a world apart from my American hometown, which, as a capital city, offered much more in the way of entertainment than watching a cow munch on grass. But there is a certain something about this place, I don’t know what exactly, that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
Despite living in the middle of what seems to be nowhere, we are ideally situated on the continent, so that most major cities are within a few hours’ drive. Paris is roughly five hours away, Brussels two, Amsterdam, almost three. Not every place is easily within our grasp. Spain would require a flight, as does Italy. England too, but at least the airfares within Europe are cheap. I may not be living anyone’s fantasy life in a world-class European city, but I have it pretty damn good.
Anyway, I was just going through some old floppy disks this morning and I came across this. I had completely forgotten about it, but I realize now that this is more or less a brainstorming session for the memoir I started writing early last year about our life in Germany. Many of the same thoughts made their way into the prologue.
It’s kind of interesting, living overseas. You get to see what it’s like being “the other” for a change, having people look at you because of your American mannerisms and your inability to speak their language. For once, you are the strange foreigner, working hard to try to fit into their mold. It’s a very eye-opening experience, let me tell you. There are times when I find myself feeling awkward and embarrassed while trying to complete the most mundane of tasks, such as buying produce at the grocery store. Things are similar, but different. And if, God forbid, the cashier at the grocery store tries to speak to me, that deer in headlights look I give her always forces her to switch to English without me even having to ask. Fortunately for me, I live in a community with a lot of foreigners from many different countries. English is the lingua franca here. Most people in the area speak it well, even if it’s not their native language.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve dreamed of living abroad for a long time. I took French in high school and fantasized about studying at the Sorbonne, reading fine works of literature and having deep discussions in French over a croissant and a café au lait. Except I hate coffee. But that’s only a minor detail. In reality, I barely learned enough French to order a café au lait. And besides that, my aunt had many French friends about my age that came and stayed with her during the summer. Trying to converse with them shattered any illusions I had about an academic life in Paris. I felt like an awkward, bumbling idiot, not a breezy Francophile college student who sits in cafes and reads Le Monde. Yet even fifteen years later, there is a romance about that image that appeals to me.
French lost its allure after high school. I moved on to college and majored in English Literature, fantasizing about living in London and discussing Shakespeare over some fish and chips and a beer at the pub. Except that I hate beer. But cider with black currant makes a fine substitute. My dream to live in England partially came true. For one brief and brilliant summer during college, I was privileged to participate in a study abroad program in Bath. No, it wasn’t London, but Bath was exciting and beautiful and has a great literary history as well. And we took some trips to London anyway. And yes, I did get to discuss Shakespeare over fish and chips. I’ve had a love affair with England ever since, and I would jump at the chance to live there if the opportunity presented itself. That is one fantasy that I think will never fade, especially since I speak the language.
Ultimately, I ended up living in Europe, but not where I thought I would. Oddly enough, I am living in Germany. I’m not a student (at least not in the academic sense; I am a student of life), and I don’t spend my time in cafes or pubs. I didn’t fall head over heels in love with a European and follow him here on a whim (yet another old fantasy of mine). I fell in love with a perfectly wonderful American who happened to be in the military. He can’t discuss Shakespeare over fish and chips at a pub, but he will drink beer. He can’t speak French over a café au lait, but he will eat croissants. When we started dating, the possibility of living in Europe never really entered our minds. But as he started thinking about a possible assignment in Germany, I vowed to learn how to polka and cook a mean bratwurst, neither of which I do now.
We live in a small village in a rural area near the Dutch border. It’s not nearly as exciting as a big city like Paris or London, but it has its own charm. I’ve grown quite fond of sheep and goats. Seeing them everyday, you learn to love them. I have even gotten used to the smell of fertilizer. This truly is a world apart from my American hometown, which, as a capital city, offered much more in the way of entertainment than watching a cow munch on grass. But there is a certain something about this place, I don’t know what exactly, that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
Despite living in the middle of what seems to be nowhere, we are ideally situated on the continent, so that most major cities are within a few hours’ drive. Paris is roughly five hours away, Brussels two, Amsterdam, almost three. Not every place is easily within our grasp. Spain would require a flight, as does Italy. England too, but at least the airfares within Europe are cheap. I may not be living anyone’s fantasy life in a world-class European city, but I have it pretty damn good.
Friday, September 4, 2009
What are you doing September 26th?
Don't have plans, you say? Well, now you do! Get thee to your nearest national park. ADMISSION TO ALL NATIONAL PARKS...I repeat, ALL NATIONAL PARKS is FREE on Saturday, September 26th.
More details here:
http://www.nationalparks.org/americas-best-idea/?fa=best-idea-better
More details here:
http://www.nationalparks.org/americas-best-idea/?fa=best-idea-better
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
A Day in Thorn, the Netherlands
To many, the appeal of this tiny Limburg town is its well-known pancake (Dutch: pannekoeken) restaurant: De Pannekoekenbakker. But the town itself - a medieval convent - is full of wonder and beauty.
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/2111889/a_day_in_thorn_the_netherlands.html
A Day in Thorn, the NetherlandsTo many, the appeal of this tiny Limburg town is its well-known pancake (Dutch: pannekoeken) restaurant: De Pannekoekenbakker. But the town itself - a medieval convent - is full of wonder and beauty.
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/2111889/a_day_in_thorn_the_netherlands.html
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Mukilteo and Everett
Early last week, my sister-in-law called from Guam, wanting to know what I knew about Everett. Nothing, as it happens. She was asking because it could be a possibility for their next assignment. So I figured it was a good idea for a day trip.
I tried to look it up in my DK travel guide, but there is nothing about Everett in it. Then I looked in The Dog Lover's Companion to the Pacific Northwest. Bingo! There was a lot about Everett, in addition to Mukilteo, which is right next door. So we brought Reece along, since it is so dog friendly.
It took slightly under an hour to get to Mukilteo from Kent. We had a small cooler in the back of the car, so we stopped at a Subway once we got there and grabbed some sandwiches. Then we headed to our first stop.
1> Mukilteo Lighthouse Park: The area around the lighthouse is owned by the U.S. Coast Guard, but it's open to the public from 12-5pm on weekends and holidays from April - September. We were there too early, but dogs aren't allowed at the lighthouse anyway. Even when it's closed to the public, you still have great vantage points for photos. The lighthouse, by the way, was built in 1905. The beach is really unique. Overlooking Port Gardner Bay (with views of Whidbey and Camano Islands), the rocky beach is completely covered by driftwood logs. There are also fire pits. This is a popular boating and fishing spot, and there is a boat launch. The park also offers a playground and plenty of picnic tables. If you didn't bring a picnic, I would recommend the Ivar's restaurant right next to the park.
We walked along the beach for a bit. It was foggy (although we could still see the islands) and a bit chilly, but we enjoyed the beauty of the area for a bit and then headed toward Everett, via Mukilteo Boulevard.
2> Harborview Park: This park was right along Mukilteo Blvd. and we nearly drove past it without stopping. But Lance pulled in and it was relatively empty. It has stunning views - still foggy when we got there, but clear by the time we left (they had a few picnic tables, so we stopped here for lunch). We could see several islands and Naval Station Everett from there. There isn't much to this park except for the view, so it's definitely worth stopping, especially if you have a picnic.
3> Forest Park: This was also along our route, but didn't merit a stop for us. It is, however, a great family park. Huge playground, public pool and animal farm. There is also a meeting hall, a couple of walking trails, a horseshoe field and tennis courts. We just drove up into the park, took a look, and drove out.
4> Grand Avenue Park: Perhaps the most scenic park in Everett. This park is on a street lined with gorgeous, stately homes. It's on a hill overlooking Everett Marina and Naval Station Everett. It's a small park - a narrow strip of land that spans 3 blocks, but it has a couple of picnic tables and benches so you can sit and enjoy the amazing view. The marina was busy today and I was tempted to go down and check it out - there was a Sunday Farmers Market. It didn't look like there was any pedestrian access down to the marina. Grand Avenue Park is beautifully landscaped.
5> Loganberry Park: We stopped here because it's an off-leash dog park, but we disliked it almost immediately. It was nothing but trails, trees, and brush. No wide-open spaces for Reece to run. We never once let her off-leash because it would be too easy for her to get separated from us. But she got to meet a few other dogs.
Overall, my assessment of Everett is that it seems like a great place. I would live there in a heartbeat (preferably in one of those gorgeous old homes). The naval base is really nice too.
Click here to view the slideshow.
I tried to look it up in my DK travel guide, but there is nothing about Everett in it. Then I looked in The Dog Lover's Companion to the Pacific Northwest. Bingo! There was a lot about Everett, in addition to Mukilteo, which is right next door. So we brought Reece along, since it is so dog friendly.
It took slightly under an hour to get to Mukilteo from Kent. We had a small cooler in the back of the car, so we stopped at a Subway once we got there and grabbed some sandwiches. Then we headed to our first stop.
1> Mukilteo Lighthouse Park: The area around the lighthouse is owned by the U.S. Coast Guard, but it's open to the public from 12-5pm on weekends and holidays from April - September. We were there too early, but dogs aren't allowed at the lighthouse anyway. Even when it's closed to the public, you still have great vantage points for photos. The lighthouse, by the way, was built in 1905. The beach is really unique. Overlooking Port Gardner Bay (with views of Whidbey and Camano Islands), the rocky beach is completely covered by driftwood logs. There are also fire pits. This is a popular boating and fishing spot, and there is a boat launch. The park also offers a playground and plenty of picnic tables. If you didn't bring a picnic, I would recommend the Ivar's restaurant right next to the park.
We walked along the beach for a bit. It was foggy (although we could still see the islands) and a bit chilly, but we enjoyed the beauty of the area for a bit and then headed toward Everett, via Mukilteo Boulevard.
2> Harborview Park: This park was right along Mukilteo Blvd. and we nearly drove past it without stopping. But Lance pulled in and it was relatively empty. It has stunning views - still foggy when we got there, but clear by the time we left (they had a few picnic tables, so we stopped here for lunch). We could see several islands and Naval Station Everett from there. There isn't much to this park except for the view, so it's definitely worth stopping, especially if you have a picnic.
3> Forest Park: This was also along our route, but didn't merit a stop for us. It is, however, a great family park. Huge playground, public pool and animal farm. There is also a meeting hall, a couple of walking trails, a horseshoe field and tennis courts. We just drove up into the park, took a look, and drove out.
4> Grand Avenue Park: Perhaps the most scenic park in Everett. This park is on a street lined with gorgeous, stately homes. It's on a hill overlooking Everett Marina and Naval Station Everett. It's a small park - a narrow strip of land that spans 3 blocks, but it has a couple of picnic tables and benches so you can sit and enjoy the amazing view. The marina was busy today and I was tempted to go down and check it out - there was a Sunday Farmers Market. It didn't look like there was any pedestrian access down to the marina. Grand Avenue Park is beautifully landscaped.
5> Loganberry Park: We stopped here because it's an off-leash dog park, but we disliked it almost immediately. It was nothing but trails, trees, and brush. No wide-open spaces for Reece to run. We never once let her off-leash because it would be too easy for her to get separated from us. But she got to meet a few other dogs.
Overall, my assessment of Everett is that it seems like a great place. I would live there in a heartbeat (preferably in one of those gorgeous old homes). The naval base is really nice too.
Click here to view the slideshow.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Fee Free Weekends
Sadly, I was just at Mt. Rainier two weeks ago, so this is a bit too late for me.
This weekend is the last weekend of the summer that you can get into 100 different national parks for free.
Here's the info:
http://www.nps.gov/FINDAPARK/FEEFREEPARKS.HTM
And a couple of pictures of summer at Mt. Rainier National Park.
This weekend is the last weekend of the summer that you can get into 100 different national parks for free.
Here's the info:
http://www.nps.gov/FINDAPARK/FEEFREEPARKS.HTM
And a couple of pictures of summer at Mt. Rainier National Park.
Friday, August 7, 2009
The Perfect Lunch
How do I love thee, Duke's Chowder House? Let me count the ways...
1> Your lobster chowder is perfection. PERFECTION. Creamy and sweet and insanely delicious.
2> Your wild mixed greens salad with bleu cheese, candied pecans, orange and grapefruit wedges and tarragon vinaigrette...Heaven on a plate. Seriously.
3> The bread. I just love bread. Warm from the oven with soft butter. Mmmmm.
4> FREE APPETIZERS! Coconut prawns with honey chili sauce and steamers (fresh local clams steamed with garlic butter, roasted garlic, fresh herbs and Mac & Jack's). The shrimp was especially tasty. I could've easily polished off the whole plate myself, but I shared it with friends.
http://www.dukeschowderhouse.com/
(Multiple Seattle/Tacoma locations)
And if that wasn't enough, we went to Cold Stone Creamery for dessert, where I had their limited time only Jello butterscotch pudding creation: butterscotch ice cream mixed with Reese's peanut butter cup and Butterfinger and swirled with caramel.
My tastebuds have exploded. (And so has my waistline...but I am a happy, happy woman today.)
1> Your lobster chowder is perfection. PERFECTION. Creamy and sweet and insanely delicious.
2> Your wild mixed greens salad with bleu cheese, candied pecans, orange and grapefruit wedges and tarragon vinaigrette...Heaven on a plate. Seriously.
3> The bread. I just love bread. Warm from the oven with soft butter. Mmmmm.
4> FREE APPETIZERS! Coconut prawns with honey chili sauce and steamers (fresh local clams steamed with garlic butter, roasted garlic, fresh herbs and Mac & Jack's). The shrimp was especially tasty. I could've easily polished off the whole plate myself, but I shared it with friends.
http://www.dukeschowderhouse.com/
(Multiple Seattle/Tacoma locations)
And if that wasn't enough, we went to Cold Stone Creamery for dessert, where I had their limited time only Jello butterscotch pudding creation: butterscotch ice cream mixed with Reese's peanut butter cup and Butterfinger and swirled with caramel.
My tastebuds have exploded. (And so has my waistline...but I am a happy, happy woman today.)
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
2 Local Restaurants
We just had a houseguest - my sister-in-law - who left yesterday, and since we revisited places that I've posted about previously (Snoqualmie, downtown Seattle, Mt. Rainier National Park), I'm just posting a couple restaurant recommendations this time.
Naan -N- Curry
http://www.naanncurry.com/
709 S. 3rd St.
Renton, WA 98057
425.271.NAAN
This is a discovery of my husband's, who is an extremely picky eater. So when he suggested this place, I think I nearly fainted from surprise. I'm not super familiar with Indian food, although I have had a few very good Indian meals, so I was game to try it. This restaurant, by the way, specializes in both Indian and Pakistani cuisine.
Our greeter charmed me immediately. He told us there was nothing good on the menu at all, which made us laugh and feel immediately comfortable. This is obviously a place that doesn't take itself too seriously (except for the food), and this was also evident by the television above the entrance, which looked to be playing Indian soap operas and possibly scenes from Bollywood films.
Lance ordered chicken tikka masala. I ordered chicken korma (as did my sister-in-law). We got a platter of rice to share and a side of garlic naan. You can order any level of spice you desire. I can't stomach spicy hot food, so I ordered it with 0 spice. It was still spicy, but not hot.
All in all, a fantastic and very filling meal. I thought the portions were just right. Not too much food. And a great meal for a good price.
Highly recommended. I definitely want to come back and try some of the Pakistani dishes.
***
Ivar's Acres of Clams
http://www.ivars.net/
Pier 54 - Seattle Waterfront
206.624.6852
Ivar's has been a Seattle institution since 1938, and consistently voted as the city's best seafood.
They have several seafood bars around the Seattle area, which specialize mainly in fish and chips, although they have a few other dishes. Acres of Clams is a wee bit fancier - a nice sit-down restaurant with a good beer and wine list. And the view obviously can't be beat. This restaurant provides stunning views of Elliott Bay.
But aside from the ambience, Ivar's has bar none THE BEST CLAM CHOWDER IN THE UNIVERSE. My sister-in-law agrees. We ordered the soup and salad combo, which included a cup of chowder and a 3 oz. blackened salmon fillet served over caesar salad. Fantastic. As were the sourdough rolls.
Lance, not being a big fan of seafood, ordered a cheeseburger and was pleased.
If you just want chowder, you can pick that up at any Ivar's. If you want atmosphere...get thee to Acres of Clams.
Naan -N- Curry
http://www.naanncurry.com/
709 S. 3rd St.
Renton, WA 98057
425.271.NAAN
This is a discovery of my husband's, who is an extremely picky eater. So when he suggested this place, I think I nearly fainted from surprise. I'm not super familiar with Indian food, although I have had a few very good Indian meals, so I was game to try it. This restaurant, by the way, specializes in both Indian and Pakistani cuisine.
Our greeter charmed me immediately. He told us there was nothing good on the menu at all, which made us laugh and feel immediately comfortable. This is obviously a place that doesn't take itself too seriously (except for the food), and this was also evident by the television above the entrance, which looked to be playing Indian soap operas and possibly scenes from Bollywood films.
Lance ordered chicken tikka masala. I ordered chicken korma (as did my sister-in-law). We got a platter of rice to share and a side of garlic naan. You can order any level of spice you desire. I can't stomach spicy hot food, so I ordered it with 0 spice. It was still spicy, but not hot.
All in all, a fantastic and very filling meal. I thought the portions were just right. Not too much food. And a great meal for a good price.
Highly recommended. I definitely want to come back and try some of the Pakistani dishes.
Ivar's Acres of Clams
http://www.ivars.net/
Pier 54 - Seattle Waterfront
206.624.6852
Ivar's has been a Seattle institution since 1938, and consistently voted as the city's best seafood.
They have several seafood bars around the Seattle area, which specialize mainly in fish and chips, although they have a few other dishes. Acres of Clams is a wee bit fancier - a nice sit-down restaurant with a good beer and wine list. And the view obviously can't be beat. This restaurant provides stunning views of Elliott Bay.
But aside from the ambience, Ivar's has bar none THE BEST CLAM CHOWDER IN THE UNIVERSE. My sister-in-law agrees. We ordered the soup and salad combo, which included a cup of chowder and a 3 oz. blackened salmon fillet served over caesar salad. Fantastic. As were the sourdough rolls.
Lance, not being a big fan of seafood, ordered a cheeseburger and was pleased.
If you just want chowder, you can pick that up at any Ivar's. If you want atmosphere...get thee to Acres of Clams.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Inniswood Metro Gardens - Blendon Woods
Monday was one of those days where we changed plans about 398099087283 times. I originally suggested going up to Lake Erie. Then the plan got changed to Mohican State Park. Then it was changed to Hocking Hills State Park, specifically, Old Man's Cave. Then we just decided to do a local park instead.
So we went to Inniswood Metro Gardens in the Columbus suburb of Westerville. I have never been there before, and that makes me sad, because it's really gorgeous. We had a picnic lunch first in the small picnic area (there are only about 5 tables or so) and then we walked through all the gardens, except for the rock garden (which is the one I primarily wanted to see), because it was closed for maintenance. Must be sure to go back.
I would love to see how these gardens change with the seasons.
We followed this with a short trip to Blendon Woods Metro Park, since it was close by. I hadn't been to that park in years. We didn't see much there. We went to the observation shelters by the wetlands, but there was nothing to see. I remember it being a much nicer park than it was this time around.
Inniswood was definitely the highlight of the day.
Click here for photos.
For more information:
Inniswood website
Blendon Woods
So we went to Inniswood Metro Gardens in the Columbus suburb of Westerville. I have never been there before, and that makes me sad, because it's really gorgeous. We had a picnic lunch first in the small picnic area (there are only about 5 tables or so) and then we walked through all the gardens, except for the rock garden (which is the one I primarily wanted to see), because it was closed for maintenance. Must be sure to go back.
I would love to see how these gardens change with the seasons.
We followed this with a short trip to Blendon Woods Metro Park, since it was close by. I hadn't been to that park in years. We didn't see much there. We went to the observation shelters by the wetlands, but there was nothing to see. I remember it being a much nicer park than it was this time around.
Inniswood was definitely the highlight of the day.
Click here for photos.
For more information:
Inniswood website
Blendon Woods
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Franklin Park Conservatory - Chihuly Reimagined
I've been in Ohio since last week, visiting family. This past Thursday, we decided to go to Franklin Park Conservatory. My mom always wanted to see their Blooms & Butterflies exhibit, and I knew that they had some of Dale Chihuly's glass art on display there as well. I've become quite a Chihuly fan, especially since he's from Tacoma and I was exposed to his work at the Museum of Glass.
Their new exhibition - Chihuly Reimagined - debuted on July 4th, but even though we were there 2 days earlier, we still got to see everything up close. It's truly an amazing exhibition. The glass pieces fit in wonderfully with all the plants.
This is definitely worth a visit.
Again, I feel that this is a place more worthy of pictures than words, so I'll let the pictures do the talking now.
Click here for the Franklin Park Conservatory website
Click here for pictures.
Their new exhibition - Chihuly Reimagined - debuted on July 4th, but even though we were there 2 days earlier, we still got to see everything up close. It's truly an amazing exhibition. The glass pieces fit in wonderfully with all the plants.
This is definitely worth a visit.
Again, I feel that this is a place more worthy of pictures than words, so I'll let the pictures do the talking now.
Click here for the Franklin Park Conservatory website
Click here for pictures.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Wine-Making at Castle Bridge Winery in Kent, Washington
Castle Bridge Winery is unique from other Washington wineries because they will help you make your own wine using a 3-step process. The result is 30 bottles of wine that has been made, bottled and custom labeled by you.
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/1850741/winemaking_at_castle_bridge_winery.html
Wine-Making at Castle Bridge Winery in Kent, WashingtonCastle Bridge Winery is unique from other Washington wineries because they will help you make your own wine using a 3-step process. The result is 30 bottles of wine that has been made, bottled and custom labeled by you.
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/1850741/winemaking_at_castle_bridge_winery.html
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