the view from here

prettiest

2010-04-06T00:49:00.000-07:00

More restaurant things in the coming days but TODAY I uploaded some photos from my cousin's wedding in Southern California last week. As always, can you guess who my favorite subject is? (aside from the red dog, that is)

the E.N.D.

2010-03-22T21:02:00.000-07:00

Although I could dwell comfortably in mushy land for at least a few more posts, I'll spare you and get down to the serious stuff. SO, a few weeks ago I went on a date with a handsome new friend to a little place near Gasworks known as the E.N.D. (Elemental Next Door). Elemental is known around town as one of the most unique dining experiences one can encounter. People arrive early in the evening and are served a coursed meal complete with beverage pairings. The menu changes constantly but the selections a diner is served during the evening are non-negotiable. One simply arrives and rides the tsunami wave of food and wine (a wave I would gladly hop on). I've heard mixed reviews about this place...questionable service, lack of choices, etc. But hey!...it's a dining experience I would never turn down.

Elemental Next Door is, well, next door to Elemental (how do you s'pose they came up with that one?). It is basically the antithesis of Elemental's structured and guided culinary presentation. We arrived around 6, were presented with a couple of glasses of bubbly and took a seat at the bar. The menu (which also changes quite frequently) is only listed one place: written in sharpie on a long piece of white butcher paper near the counter. Instead of a wine list there are racks of wine for browsing. Each bottle is $30 and also available in half bottles or by the glass. The counter turned out to be an awesome choice. We were able to chat about menu items and wines with the owner and a server, each seemed to really know their stuff. AND we had a great view of the only menu. We decided to go by the glass. They had some bottles open at the counter that they gladly let us sample. To be honest, I am kicking myself now because I can't remember the wines we went with (my distractedness on this particular evening may or may not have had something to due to the good looking company). The food, however, does stand out in my mind. We shared a couple of small plates (croquettes and stuffed poblano peppers) as well as three entrees (a baked cod dish with potatoes, a portobello mushroom risotto with nettles and a scallop terrine served with toasts, thai curry veggie slaw and pickled shallots) and topped the meal off with some bacon truffles (seriously weird and seriously YUM!).

The food at the E.N.D. was great conceptually and also well executed. Everything was rooted in traditionally good ideas but had surprising twists that kept things exciting. The staff was knowledgeable yet unobtrusive. The concept of the restaurant itself was different and not for a diner who requires a lot of direction or constant attention. The ambience was delightful; soft colored walls, dark furniture and candlelight. Also, one of my favorite elements was the long communal dining table. I could easily imagine dining with strangers, making new friends, sharing some vino and talking food. Elemental Next Door is a Seattle dining experience not to be missed. It's a place that gets people talking, keeps diners on their toes and encourages sharing...all good things in my book.

3.19

2010-03-20T12:22:00.000-07:00

I know I said that I would have some foodie thoughts for you this week, but honestly this lady is sort of all I can think about. She is my grandma, yesterday was her birthday, and it also was the first of her birthdays in my life that I can remember not having spent this day with her.

This is my favorite photograph of my grandparents. They were attending the annual Meydenbauer Yacht Club ball (what ever happened to this sort of ball, by the way?). Their happiness in this photo, her effortless grace and beauty...I breathed it in as I passed this photo everyday as I left my parents house for school. Now I have a copy of the photo in my house and while this year on her birthday I don't get to say "happy 93rd birthday" to her face, she still makes me feel a little fearless and a lot lucky to have had a lady like her standing behind me. Missing you always, G-ma.

I KNOW, I can get a little sentimental sometimes. You know you love it.

no excuses

2010-03-18T23:34:00.000-07:00

Here I am. It's been a while. And I don't feel one (well, maybe just one) ounce of blog absence guilt. Want to hear the true story? I have been working, reclining, dining, dating my way around town AND doing that thing that all Seattleites find themselves doing every Seattle spring (or spring-like end of winter)...remembering why we love this city and how beautiful this greenery that all that rain made looks in the bright sunlight. It's not that I don't love you, blog. It's just that I have been once again lured away from you by this freaking city and I'm not going to lie, it wasn't exactly against my will.

But lucky for you... dates, aside from including good company (whether in the form of good ole' best lady friend or some other exciting new "friend" as my grandma would have put it), usually include delicious food and beverages. I can safely say that I have some thoughts on several Seattle spots to share in the coming days. I know, you are just DYING with anticipation.

But first things first. Today is my dad's birthday. Tomorrow night we'll be raising our glasses at Purple Cafe (yum) but until then, here's to you Dad. Very simply, I wouldn't be here without you.

lucy

2010-02-04T23:52:00.000-08:00

Has anyone seen that red dog?

just remember

2010-02-02T00:26:00.000-08:00

Tonight I had a date night with one of my best friends, Carrie. We ate Thai food in Fremont as it rained lightly outside. Those flavors made me remember my SE Asia trip of this last summer. It felt nice to remember being so warm. In being so very far away from home, I enjoyed waking up daily to a sense of empowerment, of fierce independence. Traveling the world made me feel fearless. I remember when I started this blog, I acknowledged the fact that it was, for the time being, mostly just about me. I read (and enjoy immensely) the blogs of many people who talk about their weddings, their marriages, their pregnancies, their babies. Maybe someday for me, who really knows. But today I am channeling my independent traveler self because it is a part of me that I am most proud of, a part that sometimes gets lost in the daily drizzle of Seattle winters. Sunsets, bare feet on terra firma and food...three things I feel lucky to have filled myself to the brim with this past summer:

[sunset: Kuta, Bali, Indonesia/ sunset: Koh Samet, Thailand]

[sunset: Gili T, Lombok, Indonesia]

[temple: Bangkok, Thailand]

[awaiting a massage: Koh Chang, Thailand

[Gili T., Lombok, Indonesia]

[Kuta, Bali, Indonesia]

[bathroom aboard a sleeper train: countryside, Thailand]

[ketchup: Kuta, Bali, Indonesia]

[beer (fuckingood): Kao San Road, Bangkok, Thailand]

[beer: Koh Samet, Thailand/ pork and noodle soup (fuckingood): Bangkok, Thailand]

My "view from here" has changed a lot in the last year and I don't hate it one bit.

love me (+ more freckles and a tan),

so happy together

2010-01-29T21:35:00.000-08:00

My parents bought our 1985 Volvo to be our family car when I was just a nice thought for the future. Some months later I was driven home from a hospital in Santa Ana, California in her back seat. For the years of my childhood my mom would shuttle us around in that car. We usually sat with snacks listening Dr. Laura on the radio and live commentary from the driver's seat. That Dr. Laura, she gives some good advice, but she's a little looney most of the time. We became adolescent feminists as my mom explained the idiocy of Tom Leykus. Years later we would get a little misty when twenty year old cheerios with the fingerprints of our baby hands (and probably remnants of our sweet baby drool and baby snot) were discovered upon replacing the back seat. And years later still, I learned to drive in that car and made the commute to high school daily with my sister. We looked something like this:

We drove the red dog home in the volvo when she was a baby. We filled her to max capacity and drove to college and realized that I wasn't a baby anymore. And now she is a happy Wallingford car, just enjoying her golden years. She carries christmas trees home simply to show that she can.

She proudly bears Sounders FC insignia. She enjoys afternoons of sun. AND this last month she spent almost a week in the shop for her annual spa treatments. This year was a year of vanity for the volvo. Seats reupholstered, small dents remedied. She looks. simply. stunning.

Frankly, I think both of us are really coming into our own this year (she has twelve months on me). While to most she is a really old lady and I am a really young one, I think we make a perfect couple. Just between us, volvo, I'm really looking forward to another quarter century of cruisin' to show tunes with you. Oh the places we will go!! (yeah I went there and yes, I will agree it's probably a little too early for perky Dr. Suess references).

we'll just keep going

2010-01-27T23:44:00.000-08:00

This last week I had some lady friends over to watch the Bachelor (don't judge) and try out a chocolate and wine pairing kit that my dad got me at Theo's Chocolate. Theo's is located in Fremont. There they lovingly create Organic and fair trade chocolates using cacao from all over the world. My dad bought me an awesome kit which included a variety of chocolate bars and some suggestions about wine pairings. They also have a beer pairing kit which might just be my next Theo's purchase. They also do really wonderful factory tours, host events in their gorgeous old building and design chocolates for special events. AND when you walk down their block you can actually smell chocolate. Seattle, have I told you lately that I love you?

SO, for the evening we ended up with FIVE different bottles of wine for the three of us. Don't worry...while we came close to finishing them, I am still enjoying the last sips from several different wineries days later! It was just too fun to try all that wine side by side. The kit came with a sheet for notes about the various pairings. Maddy was religious with her constant note-taking. Ladies and gentleman, this is why that woman is one of my best friends.

[Liz's personal chocolate tasting technique :)]

These friends are my favorites. I'd say my Bachelor night was a resounding success. While sometimes I feel a little sad to be laughing at the silly ladies on that show (single sistas UNITE!), I just keep watching and they keep doing silly things to make me laugh, so we'll just keep going I guess.

Dear Sister,

2010-01-25T23:20:00.000-08:00

You are basically the cutest.

Just so you know, I will take a million more pictures of you whether you like it or not.

One of my favorite things to do is drive through my sister's espresso stand in the afternoon before work, get a hazelnut latte, add her requests to the grocery list and just check in. Why are some people at least 500 times cuter when you see them in their element? Like at work. Like doing the things they do everyday that they never think about, that you never see them do. These little almost daily excursions are always good, but have actually been made even better due to several simple facts. 1. We are enjoying the warmest, sunniest January in Seattle history and 2. I get to cruise through these warmest sunniest January days to Jamie's stand in my newly reupholstered, 1985 volvo. She (and by she, I mean the car love of my life) is SO beyond happy these days and 25 looks dang good on her if I do say so myself (pictures of the car to follow).

p.s. As I write this I am watching reruns of the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. I will miss you more than I can say.

demolition day

2010-01-24T23:30:00.000-08:00

I told you I was back, but I lied. This year my new years resolutions are as follows:

1. be better at staying in touch with friends.

2. pamper myself (facial/some sort of spa treatment every 2-3 months [I know, tortuous])

3. Update my blog more frequently.

So far I've been doing really well with the first two, but that third one hasn't been happening. I spend so much time trying to make these blogs worth reading that sometimes I get all hung up worrying that I have nothing important to say for the day and just don't post anything at all. LAME! The fact is, I've been taking more pictures with my new camera. So at the very least I'm going to attempt to post at least a photo daily or every other day. OK? This city is looking really nice through my lens lately (mostly thanks to my genius Nikon baby).

The other day, while driving home from a romantic pho date with myself, I saw the Sunset Bowl on Market Street in Ballard being demolished. I knew this was to happen. In fact, I even heard some corny man on the radio talking about how "by sunset today, most of the Sunset bowl will be gone". But really seeing it was actually kind of emotional. Since its opening in 1957, this place had been a landmark in the Ballard neighborhood. It had been just one of those divey places that everyone knew and loved. Much of it's staff worked there for decades. The rainbow colored building never tried to be anything that it wasn't. It was just Sunset bowl. Today a crowd of former employees and Sunset loyalists stood outside to say goodbye:

I was never very close with Sunset Bowl but this crowd reminded me of the kind of presence this place had in our little borough. It was mostly quiet. Two elderly men just watched, a baby slept through the demolition. I liked watching them through my lens as they loved this building. But I hated what I was watching as much as I loved it. Do you have a place like this? I get the feeling that during these times most people have a story like the one that we can read in the faces of these people.

I love you for reading and here's to making #3 happen!

faces

2009-12-29T18:24:00.000-08:00

Excuse my several week hiatus...weeks filled with happiness and holidays have taken me away from my computer. Let me be the first (or seven hundredth, hopefully) to tell you how grateful I am for YOU and wish you happy holidays. Thanks to all who have read, supported me and made your love so amazingly clear. I love you for this always, but especially in this year of years that has so thoroughly chewed so many of us up and spit us out. Right now I feel stronger and completely surrounded by all of the faces that I could ever need.

I thought about sending out a Christmas card but figured that most of the people who I would send it to would read this. So here it is: portraits of the people who are nearest thanks to my new baby, Nikon D3000.

lucy girl on the porch

prime rib and red dog beggars

family and my new brother in-law (named Macbook Pro of course)

my own little home sweet home in the city

Betty Rae

2009-12-12T23:10:00.000-08:00

Here's to the Nanas that love us...

and the scarves they make us that keep us warm and loved on nights like these when they are states (too far) away.

(I'm so glad I share a name with this woman)

Love,

Dana Rae

things made of paper that you should know about

2009-12-10T23:00:00.000-08:00

Ever get tired of the same old holiday cards? I'm in love with these items from more of my favorite Etsy sellers...

2nd Coming

The Paper Whisperer

Pine Cone and Chickadee

Is it bad that I surprise myself when I'm out of words? My friends, it has been a long day to say the least. As always, I love you for reading!

obsessed pt. 3 Etsy edition!

2009-12-07T11:53:00.000-08:00

I cruise Etsy for new, incredible, handmade things almost as much as I cruise blogger for new (to me), incredible, digitally-made musings of interesting people. It is December 7th, 2009. It is dangerously/excitingly (you will probably pick your adverb based on what side of the bed you woke up on, whether your feet were warm enough last night or your lasting/newfound feelings on this time of year) close to the gift giving holidays. This year my list has become more concise, more meaningful, less associated with life-sucking malls and more in support of the nice, talented individuals who bless me and Etsy with their love filled craft. In case you haven't noticed, it's a tough time for small businesses of every kind. And realistically and sadly, this holiday season will be a make or break time for many of them. I don't have a lot (well, monetarily speaking of course) but this year I know that I need some gifts, that Macy's doesn't need too much more money, and that these sellers are fabulous. And now!...the Etsy loves of my life! Or...well, like a millionth of them:

Anne Kiel

Elegant, handcrafted and simple.

Black Bird Tees

blackbirdtees

A local company that does all screen printing on American Apparel cotton!

Tortoise Loves Donkey

Quirky yet stylish terrariums and other interesting botany for the plant lover who has everything or the plant admirer who kills everything. (thanks Renai for turning me on to this seller!)

L'ape Zoppa

zany with a classic touch, simply beautiful!

Sypria

no words for this shop! come on...sushi necklace? I love it!

I feel like the reasons these sellers are so incredible are pretty self-explanatory. If I've peaked your interest check out the links below the pictures! Coming later...holiday textiles (cards, paper etc).

post secret

2009-12-06T15:30:00.000-08:00

PostSecret: Confessions on Life, Death and God from Frank Warren on Vimeo.

I'm sure many of you have run into Post Secret. It's a weekly blog started several years ago. The author Frank started it as a community art project. He handed out blank postcards addressed to himself and asked that people write/draw or in some way reveal a secret on the back side of the card and mail them in. He began posting about 10 per week. Over the years it has taken off. He has published books, collections of the secrets, and does speaking tours. I have loved this site and have been following it for about 5 years now, before I really even knew what blogger was. Anyway!...they just released this wonderful video, a trailer for the next book. Check out the blog, check out the video, they will make you check out yourself.

ALSO!...I just realized that comments weren't working on my blog. That is all fixed now, so please comment away! I love hearing what people think about the things I'm writing about and am so in love with this blogging community. I hope to become even more embedded (ha. get it??).

I got soul

2009-12-05T11:24:00.000-08:00

Sorry for my several week long hiatus! I took a hint from this lady and decided it was a good time to step out and smell the roses (REAL roses, not ones on other peoples blogs or cute felt ones on Etsy). She is a blogger who I lovingly follow and she says:

"Does anyone else bore of the endless blogger/twitter/flickr cycle? Don't you want to just, oh I don't know, chuck the macbook out the window and take a walk around the block?"

What an idea! Anyway, I am back! It's an icy Saturday morning and sitting on this blue couch with my blog feels juuuuust right. There are so many things to catch up on but I think I'll stick to just a few...As promised a review of the Thomas Street Bistro as discussed here.

WELL, my mom and I made the trip here on a Friday night. We made reservations because I heard that this place is really tiny and fills up quite fast on weekends, as it definitely did. We got there at about 6:45 and were promptly seated by the owner (who is also the only host/busser/server and apparently also helps with cooking). I ordered the bolognese, as I always like to try this dish wherever it is offered. I am on the hunt for my favorite and right now (and I can't see this really ever changing) it is here. My mom ordered the Poulet Poupon, a grilled chicken breast served with a dijon sauce, side of linguini and sauteed vegetables. For wine, I ordered a glass of the house red and my mom, a glass of the house white. The house wines were the only glass pours offered and the menu didn't say exactly the type of wine we would be getting which indicated to me that it must be ever-changing. Adam (the owner/everything man) brought us our wine and told me that I would be drinking a Malbec (very tasty!) and didn't tell us the specifics of my mom's white. She seemed to enjoy it though!...and she was DD so that one glass better have been good! Soup comes with dinner. We enjoyed a yellow lentil soup. It was perfectly seasoned and even tasted like it had a little curry powder in there. We were next presented with little crackers with hummus and tomato. While they were perhaps not Top Chef material, they tasted nice. And finally, our entrees!! My bolognese (or bolognaise as those silly French spell it) was quite traditional except for the large pieces of bell pepper and zucchini in the mix. Zucchini is perhaps my favorite vegetable so I loved this little touch. The dish was perfectly seasoned and while perhaps a tiny bit dry, quite good. My moms dish was pretty self explanatory. Also well seasoned, nicely cooked and included zucchini! While both were good they lacked a sort of "wow factor" that I find in some of my favorite European restaurants, a sort of refinement that makes a meal in a restaurant somehow different from one cooked at home. The meal was topped off with some Tiramisu. It was the perfect balance of rum, cream and espresso which is, for me, kind of hard to find. My favorite is here.

The ambience? The people were great and the attitude of the place, very simply, felt like home. Two musicians playing jazz on guitars were seated in the corner. We were seated next to a little old Greek lady named Dora and her friend Karen. Dora sweetly insisted on filling my glass from her bottle of Malbec every time it was near empty. Really, you have no heart if you write a rant on Yelp about this place. While I can't put my finger on why the food isn't my absolute favorite, there was no shortage of soul in that place. And soul in a restaurant, my friends, is something to cling to with both arms and legs. This one was frustrating. I wanted SO badly to say that the Thomas Street Bistro was my new favorite place. I wanted to want to go back weekly for the rest of my life, bring my babies there (when I have some many years down the line, of course), become a fixture there, drinking wine in the corner! You know, I will go back. I'll try different dishes (and certainly let you know what I think about them!). YOU should go there, without a doubt. The food is good but also importantly it's the kind of place that reminds you that people are nice and that new dining experiences are great.

With that said, we're right in the thick of the holiday season so I'm excited for many more new places to write about this month! My family has always prioritized good eatin' at new places together over lots of other stilly stuff. Man, I like those people!

only as long as you're cooking...

2009-11-19T13:38:00.001-08:00

So, I follow a sort of obscene amount of blogs. I always admire people who are amazing cooks who share fabulous recipes and then post pictures of the final results. While I would say that I can make a mean bolognese and some pretty decent sandwiches of the top of my head, AND follow some pretty wonderful recipes from my Nana, I don't experience that joy that some people feel when they are cooking. I do know a fair amount about food. I dine out as much as I can. I read a lot about restaurants and food. I work in in a restaurant. Heck, I even watch Top Chef! But honestly, I much prefer enjoying the fruits of someone else's labor. For me it's like experiencing a work of art (oh YES, I DID just go there). I like to enjoy the visual of a dish. I like to enjoy how it relates to a classical culinary concept and how it diverges from this idea. I like to think about how the dish and menu fits in with the concept of the restaurant on the whole. Also, I just plain like to eat. So really, I am jealous of all you recipe finders, you roasters and grillers, you sauce makers and cake bakers. But it's just not me. I'll stick to what I know.

On an exciting note, this Friday my mom and I will be dining at the Thomas Street Bistro. We happened to come across a really nice review in the Seattle Times. It sounds eclectic and charming. I'll let you know how it goes. (Dates with my mom, unlike other dates, are surefire successes no matter where we eat.) I have made it my goal to support as many small business as I can these days. Working in a small restaurant myself, I can say that we have definitely noticed the economy. We are alive because of our amazing regulars and those people who decide to just give us a chance like we will be doing at Thomas Street on Friday. More times than not, small restaurants taste better than Red Robin and have a great deal of heart to go with the culinary delights. Don't you think? What are your favorite small restaurants in Seattle?

photo source

And one more restaurant thing to get off my chest. A few weeks ago we dined at Daniel's Broiler for my parents anniversary. While I wouldn't say that the company that owns the Daniel's is necessarily small, they are local and an institution in this city. I'd be lying here if I didn't admit that the steak (apparently the best you can get anywhere) was really good. My mom, dad and sister got filet mignon in a black peppercorn sauce with sauteed mushrooms and mashed potatoes. The wine was solid. I started with a Chateau St. Michelle Brut, had an Oregon Pinot Noir with dinner and finished with a delightful 10 year tawny. My Alaskan king salmon served with a corn salsa and asparagus was very over cooked and tasted a little fishy. And while they made it again for me and thoughtfully brought me a little sorbet to cleanse my palate, it turned out that even when perfectly executed the dish wasn't all that impressive to begin with. We shared a chocolate lava cake type dessert, key lime pie and a chocolate mousse they brought out for the special occasion. My dad (who is not the best dessert sharer on the planet) bogarted his raspberry sorbet and cookies. All in all, our server was great. She perfectly gaged our expectations for the meal and our moods and adjusted her service accordingly. My family is pretty low key when it comes to dining and always loves to chat with a server. The interior is gorgeous. We went to the Leschi location which has enormous windows and a panoramic view of Lake Washington. Also, their chandelier was unbelievably wonderful and enormous. It was a very nice dining experience to match the special occasion. Moral of the story: Daniel's is definitely a spot that every meat lover should try at least once. When you go there, don't be a silly person like me and get salmon. Just get the freakin' beef people, it's what they're known for, and when you do you wont be sorry. Also, start saving now for this occasion. No one ever said it was cheap. Don't be expecting me to take you on a date there anytime soon!

obsessed pt. 2

2009-11-10T14:17:00.000-08:00

On this fine, blustery, tuesday afternoon, I present to you: things I am obsessed with pt 2.

Found Magazine

The first is a little website entitled Found Magazine. I actually came across the site through Post Secret, another one of my favorite blogs which has exploded over the years. The whole idea of the website, which has published actual magazines and books in addition to the daily posts online, is quite obviously found objects. People all over the world find notes, photos, telegrams, illustrations, (really anything that is relatively flat) that is interesting in some way, send it in and the good people at Found Magazine post the good ones. Here are some of my personal favorites: [note: all photos above and below in relation to found magazine were found here: photo credit]

[FOUND by John in Connecticut elementary school, found on a playground.]

[FOUND by Chris and Lorena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada "We found this in a free box on someone's yard. It originally came in a broken frame, which someone tried to fix with peanut butter."]

[FOUND by Jeff in Madison, Wisconsin]

[FOUND by Eli in Berkeley, California]

I don't know that very much more explanation is required. I love, love, love this site and I hope you do too.

Next on the list:

Movie night and Mo the black dog

[and Creme Brulee from Metropolitan Market]

Metropolitan market is probably my favorite grocery store but there isn't one very close to my house. Last night my lady friends and I watched Drop Dead Gorgeous (how had I not seen this before!??!), enjoyed the most thoughtful cheese plate made by Maddy (crackers by Camille), lamb and veggies prepared by Liz, begging provided by Mo and jokes (?) provided by me. AND there IS a Metropolitan Market right near the Maddy and Will and Camille residence, so we walked down to get some dessert after our movie. I bought a creme brulee ($5 later but you get to keep the ramekin!) complete with a few packets of Raw sugar. With the sugar poured on top of the creme, we put it under the broiler for a few minutes to get that nice crispy top. I enjoyed it immensely and so did Mo. I love my friends.

That's all I've got. Hope you are having a good week as well. And I hope that you also have fun things to have [healthy, I swear!] obsessions about.

the things (that aren't actually things) that they gave me

2009-11-09T17:34:00.000-08:00

Is it just me or have you also noticed that each year the change of the seasons becomes even more breathtaking? The leaves seem more vivid each fall, the darkness of winter hangs heavier on my shoulders. Each year it gets more intense. Is this global warming? or something else? Have you felt it too?

One particular aspect of fall that seems to amaze me more and more each year is my parent's (pictured above) wedding anniversary in November. Last friday we celebrated their 26th. Not many people stay together that long these days. My parents and their relationship simply inspire me. Don't get me wrong, really, it has been a trying year for all of us. We, as a family and individually, have lost multiple people (and kitties, RIP Pinky and T.T.) we love in one way or another. We have been together a lot but also geographically farther apart for months at a time than we have ever been before. But on the other hand, we have celebrated our lucy-dog, the cancer survivor. Some of us have graduated. Some of us are thriving in school, making leaps and bounds towards graduation. This year on their anniversary, it seems even more important and weighty that we all always made it back to each other, that we are together. When it all comes down to it, I think we can all say that we've got fruit on our trees that wouldn't have been there otherwise (I owe this saying to a regular at work...it was just too good not to mention).

And now, a list entitled "The Things my Parents [who have been married for about 9,490 days] Gave Me List" (because redundancy is hilarious).

Mums in fall, a tendency I get from my momma. Yes, she is "momma", by the way. That's how she has always signed her notes, how she identifies herself on the phone, who she will always be. Someday I hope that I have a baby who calls me momma. (by the way family, every time I hear the word baby, now I think of the phrase Deb from Dexter used to describe them. Anyone? anyone? It's far too obscene to type out in this sentimental blog of togetherness.:)). Is it cliche to say that my mom is my best friend? Well, whatever, she just is ok?

A soccer obsession, (like my new sticker?) something most definitely inherited from my dad.

I remember falling asleep listening to my dad yelling at the TV with a Laker game on. Let's just say I inherited this too, but the stuff he yells/yelled is much more polite than anything that comes out of my mouth when the Sounders are on. In that vein, I will not comment too much about yesterdays season ending game because I am a little too heartbroken to write anything really productive. I will say though, that I am SO excited and proud to have a pro soccer team of their caliber in my city. Here's to many successful seasons ahead! (by the way again, I think I am a full blown fanatic now as I have been waking up with stupid-happy smiles on my face after dreams that the Sounders are my friends or boyfriends or teammates [yes, my dreams have run the full spectrum of possibilities]). Embarrassing admissions aside, thanks to you Dad, I am one rowdy fan. Would it also be cliche to say that he is also my best friend? Well, whatever, I guess I am a twice over cliche and it feels just fine.

Outside of attributes like loving mums and soccer fanaticism (which I think is a word), my parents embody commitment, honor, sacrifice and lasting love, things I think I've been inhaling for my twenty something years, examples that have affected my life and relationships positively in more ways than I will probably ever know. All I can say is thank you for the world you created for us with your love. To end with another potential cliche, you really are (not so simply) the best.

obsessed

2009-11-03T16:26:00.000-08:00

First of all, I should address the fact that I changed the name of my blog! woot! The original title "here goes nothing" was indicative of where I was last spring. I was on the verge of a lot at that point in my life. I was about to graduate from college. I was preparing to embark on a month long journey to Asia. And most monumentally, I was re-entering the blog world (ha). But shoot, now I have officially arrived. I did graduate and have worked on clarifying future plans (nursing fo sho! by the way). I made it to Thailand, walked around for 32 days with an ever growing pack on my back and made it safely home. AND arrived at the conclusion that I still love blogging (its changed a bit from 6 years ago when I used to roll on Modblog.com in high school), like really love it, like love it maybe too much, almost as much as I love you which says a lot about both you and blogging. So now we're (my blog and I) rolling as 'the view from here' because I have views (perhaps too many somedays) and am here, here to stay!

So now that I am here officially, some things that I am obsessed with:

Bastille opened on Ballard Ave back in January I think. I didn't end up trying her out until August when I met some friends in the back bar of the place to bid our friend Sarah goodbye and good luck in New York (yes, one of my braniac best friends goes to Columbia now). The place is unbelievably beautiful. The back bar, the front restaurant, the bathroom. I wasn't even planning on eating that first but ended up scarfing one of these (the salami variety):

BAGUETTE SANDWICH7

Parisian ham & Comté
Salami, arugula & butter
Chicken liver mousse
Pork confit with grain mustard & cornichons

Months later I suggested the place to my dad. We arrived at 9:30, there was a 2.5 HOUR WAIT, but were seated in the bar in about 5 minutes. We shared a bottle of Bordeaux and these entrees:

FRICASSÉE DE POULET19

Pan-roasted half chicken with seasonal vegetables in a poultry jus

BLACK COD22

Pan-roasted, shaved Brussel sprouts, roasted vegetable jus & mustard oil

The food is simple yet the perfect execution of each meal I enjoyed at this restaurant makes my mouth water just blogging about it. :)

...........

On a completely different note, another thing I am a little obsessed with.

I was hesitant to watch even one episode of this show. I heard talk. I knew it would most likely feed into my nerdy musical theatre lovin' tendencies. I was scared that a show could be so right for me. I was afraid to fall for Glee. But I did it and gall darnit I am more hooked than I ever thought I could be. I jumped on the bandwagon. You should too. It's a pretty fun bandwagon. I'm having a great time. You can watch all of the episodes here.

halloween. meh.

2009-10-31T16:16:00.000-07:00

Over the years I have always felt obligated to go out on halloween. It was either that all of my roommates were going out and I felt kind of lame just staying in OR an obligation to some sort of couples costume. Needless to say or really elaborate on, my situation has changed. This year I will be serving at Rialto and then most likely taking myself out to a movie. I'm thinking ''Where the Wild Things Are" or "Whip it" with Ellen Page and Drew Barrymore. This halloween I am feeling defiant and these days defiance feels victorious.

Why I'm not Halloween's number 1 fan:

1.I get nervous about my costume: I worry that I'll have to explain myself all night long. I worry that my idea will be too obscure or too overdone or too something. I can really only remember one or two years that I really enjoyed myself. The first was when I was about five (actually this positive halloween experience actually lasted for about 4 years because I was the same thing for 4 years, technicalities). I was Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. I had a cute blue and white checkered dress. My mom painted my slip on Keds red and spray glued red glitter to them (this was before they actually manufactured the red sparkle shoes that you see little girls running around in today. I still get jealous that they were after my time. Maybe that's the ticket for Halloween enjoyment. Maybe I'll find some for next year and retry). I had a basket with a gray stuffed Toto in it. ALSO, the true genius of the costume was the fact that the basket (an integral part of any Dorothy costume) was a perfect candy carrying receptacle. I was super into it.

The second of two times that I enjoyed halloween, I was Velma from Scooby Doo. I went to a party at my friend's gaming company. Everyone knew who I was. I won a costume contest and secured a chocolate pumpkin the size of my head. Enough said.

2. I never get to be home and see cute babies in costumes because of work.

Today I was driving through Ballard after eating some pho at Than Brothers. The trick or treating on Market Street had already begun. There was a little halloween backdrop set up outside a camera store and they were offering free portraits of the kids. There were two boys about 5 years old posing in their skeleton costumes. They both were staring down the camera being THE most menacing skeletons they could be. One was even pointing into the lens of the camera with his little skeleton glove hand. They were dead serious (a little halloween humor for you). I loved this so incredibly much. Babies are so serious about stuff like this. Perhaps I don't love halloween because most people go sort of halfway about it. If everyone was as serious as these kids, I could probably commit.

That's all of the bullet points I can come up with for now. I sort of feel like an all hallows eve Scrooge. I definitely hate it when people rag on my favorite holidays and that's not what I'm trying to do. I really do hope that everyone has a fun time tonight, really. It's just, I think I'll pass, and this feels pretty damn good.

2009-08-06T15:03:00.000-07:00

I'm getting really into this blogging thing. Hey everyone! look how serious I look!

[I'm also really into vanity and the sweet built in webcam on my mac book pro.]

Anyway, this is what I look like today while blogging and listening to the newest podcast of "This American Life" after having a big fat BLTA with my mom on a cloudy day. Happy, full, cool [it has been in the 100's in Seattle over the last week] and significantly less tan than the last time I posted a picture on my blog.

I love the Spring to Summer transition in Seattle. I love crisp 70 degree, blue sky Seattle summer. I love a few weeks a high temperatures. But I know that I have converted to true Washingtonian stock when I joyously anticipate fall at the end of July, when I am thrilled to get to wear pants and a hoodie to go out to a bar. Let's be real, people in this city get really cranky when it's hot. The restaurant I work in has AC and has been slammed for the past week (yay!). But sometimes it doesn't seem to matter when people have spent the rest of their day with other crankies in a city unequipped to deal with high temperatures. I have tried my hardest not to join the brigade of sweaty, complain-y babies, but in actuality I am one of them. Luckily the heat left, our little annoying army broke up and today we are all comfortable again in our salmon printed fleeces.

OH! and one more thing...

GO SOUNDERS FC!!!

make it happen boys...

[because we love you]

love, us.

home sweet home

2009-07-31T01:40:00.000-07:00

I finally made it home! The journey home was much easier than going the other way. I was exhausted from a month of moving (I'm not expecting anyone to feel sorry for me...that was one amazing trip :)). I slept soundly on two of my flights and managed to get an earlier connection on my last leg of the journey from Portland to Seattle. My parents picked me up at the airport and it was SO good to see them. Very simply, my family is my life. When I am home it is rare to go a week without seeing my parents. So this homecoming was a big deal for me. With my grandma gone, I realize that these people, my family who will always love me and give me the benefit of the doubt, are what is important. I realize that life is short, even if you live for a long time. In these times, in this world, we have to cling to the love we've got.

In other news, this week I turned 23 stinkin' years old! So far, I really like 23. To be honest the last year of my life has been without a doubt the most trying year of my life. However, I feel like it has taken a year like that for me to come to some really healthy conclusions about my own direction in life. For one, this year I spent some time in classrooms observing, took some classes in preparation for applying to graduate school for teaching high school English and ultimately realized that I'm not entirely sure that I am cut out for an career in education. I started to wonder about my career path when I took a class last fall called Biopsych of Women. While it was one of the hardest classes I have ever taken, I learned about and became a little obsessed with the female anatomy and biological processes. I was up to my elbows in flash cards and completely out of my element while residing in science texts for this class but I found myself miraculously comfortable. While attempting to write a final English paper I found myself looking up Seattle Midwifery school online and pricing an education there. But "NO," I told myself. "You are SO close to finishing a degree. You are not good at science. Keep on your path. Just do it!" (that may not be a direct quote from my internal monologue but you get the idea..[also the "just do it!" part should sound something like how Jack Black would say it]) Then my grandma got sick. Then I spent a lot of time in hospitals. Then I realized the difference a nurse can make in the life of a patient and his/her family. Then I realized that I am young, that I am not stuck or obligated to any one path at this moment. That I just got an A in a biology class (because I really cared about what I was learning)! After some consideration, meditation, visualization (I have been a little obsessed), I am almost positive that nursing school will be my next step. It gives me goosebumps to actually type this out because I am so freaking excited. I actually think this is it. I think this job is me. It just feels perfect. So...the plan as of now is to take a few years off, decompress from my first degree, enjoy life outside of school for a bit and then do it...begin the process, take on math, science and all of the other subjects I doubted I was good at. Any nurses out there who can offer insight? Any people out there who are also in this period of exploration and transition?

I think that's all I have tonight. It's so good to be home. And even though I'm much closer to you all now. I still love you, miss you and hope to see you soon.

As Frank says

2009-07-15T04:26:00.000-07:00

"I'm coming ho-o-ooome"

Sorry, sometimes musicals just ooze out of my pores and onto very visible forums like this blog. (Gold star for anyone who can name that tune!)

Well, today is my last whole day in Thailand. My plane takes off tomorrow morning at 5:25 am. We'll be hopping in a taxi at about 3:00 am tomorrow morning. I think me and the ladies are going to try to stay awake. Who knows how that will go. I will be in the air for about 18 hrs and the total trip will take about 23 including layovers. Strangely enough my longest layover is in Portland and it is 4 freaking hours long. Can't I drive home from there in like 3.5?

Really, I am a mess of emotions right now. I am sad to be leaving. I love Thailand more than I ever thought I could. I am definitely coming back, definitely. And next time I'm bringing ALL of you with me!...or whoever wants to come. I am also anxious to get a move on because I know the amount of traveling I have ahead of me. It is a loooong journey. Last time I thought I knew, but now I really know (11 hours on one plane is a rich sensory memory I have not forgotten). The "hurry up and wait" aspect of traveling always drives me crazy. On the way here I couldn't wait to get on the ground and eat my first Thai meal, haggle with some street vendors, experience some beach bungalow accommodations. Now going the other direction I am excited to see my family, my house, my David. I am eager to see my coworkers, make some good money instead of spend (which is all I've been doing for a month) and check in with all of the regulars. Also, when I get back I get to be a bridesmaid in my friend Carrie's wedding. David is making the cake (so excited to see how it turns out). David and I have been going to about one wedding every summer since we've been together. While you shouldn't expect anything wedding-like from us anytime soon, we sure do have a great time watching everyone else we love do it.

One of the primary reasons I love stepping away from my world for a minute is that it enables me to clarify who I am. When I'm busy at home, sometimes things can feel a little jumbled. Since I've been traveling I've had to make snap decisions. To make good ones I've had to know what I believe, what I want and what is most important to me. As I walk my last steps in southeast Asia, I feel more precise about the person that I am and the person I am working on.

I've got a long journey ahead of me but luckily, the closer I get to the States, the more likely I am to get a really delicious BLT and I really like this prospect. I'll see you on the other side!

one last time...

love you, miss you and see you REALLY soon!

Koh Samed

2009-07-10T22:11:00.000-07:00

For the past three days we have been on this awesome beach about 2.5 hours away from BKK...a mangeable distance compared to the 1-2 day journeys to other beaches we took at the start of our trip. The sand on this beach is amazingly fine and white. The water is clean and clear. The waves are subtle and nice for swimming. When we got here we originally looked at some bungalows that Maddy had stayed in last year. They are moderately cheap and the one she stayed in was right on the beach. This time the only one that was available was up a hill, far from the beach and ant infested for the same no so impressive price. We decided to check out some swanky looking bungalows next door just for kicks and discovered that we could get a beautiful room with clean white sheets, a nice shower, a fan and SCREENS on the windows which can be kind of rare here. We nabbed it and have been here for 3 or 4 nights now...it's easy to lose track of time here.

My days here have been hard, sitting in a beach chair at the edge of the surf, reading and thinking about my next meal. Really hard. After today we have three full days on the beaches. Tomorrow we are moving to a semi-nearby island called Ko Chang where there is apparently some elephant trekking action...I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it (it honestly makes me a little sad and makes me wonder how well the animals are actually treated). Then on the 15th (the 14th in the states) we'll head back to Bangkok, check into a hotel for a night and leave for the airport at about 3 in the morning on the 16th.

I can officially say that I feel completely decompressed. It is hard not to when your days consist of the previously mentioned loungy activities. I am also getting excited to see people at home. And is it sick that I'm excited for the rain? cool weather? wearing pants? Leaving home always makes me feel like a freaky northwesterner. When the heck did that happen?

No pictures again this time. I have my cord but also a dead camera battery. IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING!...I am so relaxed it took a lot of effort to even type emphatically. OK, I'm finished being a brat for the day and will close here.

Love you, miss you!

back to BKK

2009-07-07T03:31:00.000-07:00

No pictures on this post because I went a little nuts last time AND because my USB cable is all the way back in the room...way too much work. How will I return to my jobs after this extended vacation? Though speaking of jobs and work, I have really been missing waiting tables and seeing all of the regulars and drinking sugar free redbull or kombucha with my co-workers and making myself fat from eating wayyyy too much pasta. I miss those places and I miss those people. I guess you always want what you can't have? Really though, while pending tropical vacations sometimes made work difficult, I sincerely enjoy going to work everyday and feel so lucky that I can say this. I like working places with good people and good food that I am proud to be serving. It is safe to say that some of my coworkers have become some of my best friends. Oh boy...I'm getting a little misty over here and it's not from the 100% humidity.

This whole missing home thing seems to come in waves. Same with missing my grandma (I haven't much mentioned this new development in my life, I guess). Somedays I forget that most of the people I love are halfway around the world, somedays I forget that she is gone. It is easy to get distracted by these beaches and the people and green curry. But on days like these when it is pouring down rain and everything is a little quieter, a little more still, I start thinking. I think about how lucky I am to be here. I worked really hard for this trip and I am having an amazing time. But also I think about the things and people I miss. I don't miss very many things really (except my bed and toilet that will flush toilet paper [here you have to put your tp in a trash can next to the toilet after you use it]), mostly just people. Sorry for the melancholy blog...it happens sometimes. For anyone reading this who has travelled at all, did you feel this way at times? or am I a big FAT baby? The big fat baby part is extremely likely.

On the boat as we rode away from the Gili's (I think I spelled that wrong in my last entry) Maddy and I were talking about how our time here is so short. We ran into a lot of people who have been traveling for months or even years. How nice would this be? just float around, meet new people, work odd jobs, see the world. Somedays this sounds pretty nice to me, like when I am riding on the deck of a fast boat called the Black Pearl (this is no joke, it's actually a boat captained by an Indonesian man named Jack) with the wind blowing in my hair. We then decided that we should feel pretty good about the fact that there are people waiting for us to return, people (and puppies named Mo) who rely on us, people who have always been patient with us and have supported every step of our travels around the world. I know where I belong, I know the people who I must have in my life. I also know that it is the places and people that I come from that have built within me a solid foundation with which to work towards accomplishing a global perspective and acquiring more stamps in my passport :).

So, since I've been writing a lot about the beaches I have seen, the food I have been eating, the sweet tan I'm working on daily, here's to all of you at home. I surely wouldn't be here without you.

Love you, miss you and see you in about a week [man, how time goes by]!!

out of Kuta and feelin' so good

2009-07-03T21:38:00.000-07:00

We have been in Indonesia for a week now. The first bit of our experience was spent in Kuta...an Indonesian version of Cancun where the boys are just as douchy but have Australian accents instead of American ones. Veeeeery interesting. We were all anxious to get out of town but also excited to pick Sarah up at the airport which was about 10 minutes from where we were staying. Once Sarah arrived, we immediately took a day trip to Ubud, a country town about 1 hr away from Kuta. We hired a driver for the day (which came out to about $6 per person) and enjoyed the world outside of Kuta for a day. As we drove, our driver turned on some amazing Gamelan music (Indonesian style which I had heard once before as played by Toby, Evan and company at UW). We drove past temples and rice paddies, the sky was dark as if it would unleash at any moment. I started to feel like myself again. Don't get me wrong, Kuta was briefly fun. There are some awesome bars, some good Bob Marley impersonators, good shopping and great surf (which Maddy, Aaron, Sarah and Camille all took advantage of) but it is the sort of touristy place that just sucks the life out of you. After a few days there I almost started feeling a bit skeezy myself, which of course is an incorrect perception :). I would be a liar if I said I didn't have fun, but it was definitely time to move on.

before I move on completely...some pictures we took while watching the sunset at Kuta:

While in Ubud, Maddy was really interested in stopping in on a well known healer who lives and practices there. The woman is named Wayan, her practice: Traditional Balinese Healing. If this sounds at all familiar, don't be suprised as you may have read about Wayan in that one little book called Eat, Pray, Love. I haven't read the book, but lots of people have. I've got to say I was pretty intrigued. We stopped in for her "Vitamin Lunch". In our guidebook it is said that this will be for most the best meal of their time in Bali. So we went for it. At a recommended donation of about $6 each I figured we couldn't go wrong. The healer made a homecooked, organic meal for us, complete with explanations of what we were eating and the benefits of each food. And it was what they said it would be...totally amazing.

The menu:
Turmeric juice w/ honey and lime
---->for: cleasing the blood and strong body.
primaduta tea w/ lime
---->for: general immunity
red rice
---->for: healthy heart
sate tofu tempe
---->for: calcium, healthy bones/teeth, high source of protein
bean sprouts (w/ peanut sauce)
---->for: weak muscles, aids in fertility
seaweed
---->for: healthy hair and softer skin
grilled coconut
---->for: prevent rheumatism
water spinach
---->for: healthy blood and insomnia
tomato chutney
---->for: healthy gums coleus amboinicustea tea
----> general immunity
fresh papaya w/ lime

It was a great afternoon. I really felt revived by both the lunch and our excursion to Ubud.

above: Wayan's kitchen

above: eating our vitamin lunch!

above: my plate
above: the drive to Ubud

To round out the day we also visited a monkey sanctuary. Monkey honestly kind of freak me out, especially when they are surrounding you. These ones were small but I kept thinking about that lady whose chimp ripped off her ears, nose and limbs...never heard that story? look it up, it happened about 3 months ago. I considered that my fears were probably unrealistic until I saw this sign:

Most of the monkeys were pretty small like this one:

and the big ones seemed to be pretty lazy like this one:

but nonetheless, I was pretty anxious to leave. That place kind of reminded me of a zoo, loud tourists, semi-socialized animals who still can surprise with their animal instincts. It was a little more picturesque than a zoo and had some amazing temples and sculptures.

The next day we decided to take an hour long boat ride to some island in Lombok named the Gillis. We decided to stay on the largest one, which is still amazingly small. There are no cars here and no atms. It is much more our speed than Kuta. We are staying in some small bungalows right near the beach for about $7 per night. The beaches look fake...I have never seen anything like this in my life. There is a cute road, the only road I think, that runs along the beach almost all the way around the island. The street is lined with restaurants and bars and there is usually someone playing music along the way. Last night we watched a movie on the beach. They have these small shacks with dvd players and an extensive list of movies to pick from. It was a leisurely evening complete with a Woody Allen film, fried noodles and a bannana split...what more do I need?

Well! I am off to get some lunch and finish my book on the beach. Miss you all and can't wait to see you in less than 2 weeks!!!

BALI HO!

2009-06-28T23:33:00.000-07:00

Excuse my title. I was trying to craft something that was exciting and witty but all I could come up with was the name of that freaking catchy song from Slumdog Millionare which probably has nothing to do with Indonesia. The title is beside the point. We made it to Bali after two full days of traveling. We left our beach where we had been relaxing for 5 or 6 days, took a cab ride to the ferry (see previous post regarding the ride complete with bumpy dirt roads and barfing). Just before we got on the ferry I managed to snag some Pringles (ranch flavored OF COURSE) and an amazing pork skewer with sticky rice for our 2.5 hour boat excursion. We made sure that we would indeed be floating upon a larger boat this time rather than nearly capsizing (or however you spell it) on a much smaller one. The ride was pleasant enough and I managed to catch a short snooze along the way. Once off the boat we took a short bus ride to catch another bus for a longer ride. While we were exhausted, the last bus ride was spectacular because we were aboard a bus taking school kids from the city to their homes in the countryside. It was cool to watch their interactions, to take in the young Thai culture and even neater to see where each of them lived. I was completely enthralled. While I usually get pretty sick in moving vehicles I didn't notice any turning of my stomach because I was too busy being a creeper.

That night we got to Krabi (where we would catch a flight to Indo. the next day), booked a room in a hotel and watched TV for the first time since we left. Specifically we took in a ton of stuff on Michael Jackson on CNN as we had only just heard that he passed away hours before. News moves slower here and I must say that sometimes it's not too bad of a thing. After frying our brains with the boob tube for a minute (I may or may not be a television ADDICT) we walked down to the night market to get some dinner (at 1 in the morning, mind you). This meal was one of the best I've had since we got here. I'm finding more and more that street food is cheaper, more authentic and very, very tasty. That night Maddy and I fell asleep to Thai music videos on TV with full bellies.

We spent the next day on planes but had a long layover in Malaysia. I had Malaysian McDonalds (pictures to come) and attempted to acclimate to the culture (or the airport culture, rather) in the span of a couple of hours. I bought a new memory card for my camera. The first one is happily full with great pictures of our adventures so far.

Finally we made it to Bali. We are now in Kuta which is a pretty touristy surf city. We will probably move tomorrow or the next day down to some little islands called the Gillis (look 'em up, they look unreal). We will also be traveling up to Ubud, said to be one of the cultural centers of Bali, for a day or two. Today?...I had my first visit to the doctor away from home. I have a funny rash on the palms of my hands which turns out to be a simple drug allergy. It cost 750,000...rupiah that is. I almost barfed again but soon realized what currency we were working with. Camille went with me to the doctor. She is unbelievable, bytheway. I feel lucky to be traveling with her, to be getting closer to her and that she is moving down to Seattle when we get back home!! I will close now because I must prepare for my first surf adventure...when in Bali right? I REALLY miss you all. Again though, I really don't want to come home, I justwant you all to be here with me watching me wipe out in the Indonesian surf. I assure you, me surfing will probably be more like me falling over. I leave you with a quotation:

Context: Camille recapping after a night in a dance club

"Last night we danced to two Michael Jackson songs. We tried to be sad but we were so happy".

This is finally starting to feel like a vacation!

2009-06-22T20:21:00.000-07:00

We made it to one of the places I wanted to go most! The island is called Koh Pha-ngan and the beach we're on now is Thong Nai Pan. We met up with Aaron, a sweet dude from Seattle that Maddy and Camille met on this exact beach a year ago. Maddy and Camille have been raving about this beach all year and all trip so I was really excited to get off of touristy Koh Samui and see what the big deal is. All in all my analysis is: TNP is a really small quiet beach but a SERIOUSLY big deal.

We stayed in these little bungalows right on the beach that have been here for like 20 years. Aaron thinks the bungalows will probably be knocked down and rebuilt this year so they are letting them go a little bit. Aaron has been staying on this beach in these bungalows for something like nine years in a row when he has been in Thailand. Maddy and Camille met Aaron and a bunch of other friends in these bungalows. They are all a bit nostalgic. BUT their major perk is the people they've met here, not the swankiness of the bungalows themselves. AND since there are really no people here right now (apparently it's been really, really slow season).......we decided to move on down the beach to some sweet bungalows with white sheets, clean towels, a beautiful tiled shower, flowers on the bed when it gets remade and AIR CONDITIONING. It is forking HOT here and we were all ready to slumber at night in a place that was less than 95 or 100 degrees. We just moved our stuff about an hour ago so I will post pictures tomorrow of our sweet new accommodations.

I love it here but the journey was a little less pleasant than the outcome. I must admit that I had a few drinks the night before but this journey was seriously miserable. We started with a crazy 40 minute taxi ride (if anyone has ever been driven around in Asia you know just what I mean), followed by a 40 minute ride on a really small boat in really rocky waters (men, women and babies were puking), concluded with another 40 minute taxi ride on unpaved roads to the beach. I nearly puked on the boat but some deep breathing saved me. The diesel from the boat blowing onto my face didn't exactly help thing either. We finally made it though. I threw up and took a nap on the beach. What a trip, seriously.

But now I am here and most of my days consist of this:

(It a hammock and me and my book if you couldn't see. :))

We also swam in an amazing beachside pool all day yesterday...I didn't take any pictures but I'll try to snap some today. The hotel where the pool is is accurately called Dreamland.

On another unrelated note there is the sweetest golden retriever living on this beach with his owner. We hung out in the water together for a while yesterday. No pictures, just sweet, sweet memories. There are little wild puppies all over the beach but it was nice to get a little golden retriever action. AND...I should mention, thai retrievers are just like those back home. Charlie, as he is called, needed a water bottle in his mouth to say hello. Sound familiar? I am missing a certain red dog who does the exact same thing. some pictures of Charlie:

We will spend about 4 more days here and then head to Bali!...which I am really looking forward to. I picked my friend Evan's brain one afternoon (he spent a lot of time there) and am excited to use all of my new knowledge [hi Evan! you are the best! the phone is working great!!!].

I miss home but this trip has blown my mind so far. More than anything I just wish you were all here with me so we could marvel at all of this together. Love you all and will be in touch in the next few days.

a pic of my traveling companions:

p.s. I am loving the thai food but momma, could you go to Ruby's, buy a B.L.T.A. and mail it to me? thanks.

p.p.s. Jess, how is business since I've been gone? I miss you all an immense amount and especially miss my feta.

p.p.s.s. (I just realized I don't know how to do more than 2 p.s.'s) Dad, can't those dang Sounders win a freaking game!?!?!?!?

p.p.p.s.s. I miss my seeester. Life just isn't the same without her around everyday to make me a snack.

pppspspspsp. David, you are nice.

A lot has changed...

2009-06-19T21:25:00.001-07:00

SO...I just posted a really long blog and something happened. I am at an internet cafe and not on my own computer because...I AM IN THAILAND!!!

The whole purpose of this blog was to update people when I was gone...and now I am gone so here come the updates. We spent almost 30 hours to get here. Seattle to San Francisco, San Francisco to Tokyo, Tokyo to Bangkok. We got to Bangkok at 3:00 in the morning and we were so starving so we got some food from a street vendor. And I got my first phad thai! Now, after eating authentic Thai food I should say that I am really impressed with Thai food back home...BUT, it is out of this universe here! Here is a picture of me eating my second Phad Thai. We were too tired and hungry to photograph ourselves eating our first meal....
A really unattractive picture...but you get the point.
We walked around BKK all day, I bought some short, we got massages, ate some more and decided we needed to be on a beach. We hopped a sleep train down the coast at 7:30 pm and arrived in Surat Thani at 9:30 the next morning. There ARE bathrooms on the train and we assumed that our waste was going into a tank or something because it was dark when we boarded. But in the morning we were dazzled to find that all of our pee and poo had been deposited along the train tracks because the toilets dropped straight down onto the earth (see picture below).

Above: a tired traveler ready to get off the train!

As traveling goes...these sleeper trains are amazing. 14 hours seems a lot easier when you are asleep for 9 or 10 of those hours. Afetr arriving in Surat Thani, we hopped on a 2 hr bus to the coast where we hopped a 2 hr ferry to an island just off the east coast of Thailand called Ko Samui. We are staying in a little bungalow on a beach call Hat Lamai. It is pretty touristy, so we might be moving in the next few days but in the mean time we will be here drinking Changs and lying on the beach.

above: tired of being on moving things (me on the ferry). below: us on the ferry pretending to be awake!

Now we are in underline mode because I can't figure out how to fix it on this computer BUT I am sitting about 300 feet from a beach, I have fruit in my belly and will now say goodbye so that I can go lay on the sand!!!!!! I miss and love you all!

above: breakfast and our beach.

new

2009-04-05T23:07:00.000-07:00

Hello! So this is a new thing for me. I used to be an avid blogger on a website called modblog which existed before blogging was really a big deal. I wanted to start a new blog because I am going to Thailand for a month this summer and needed a place to keep family updated while I am away. Also, I just missed it. I LOVED my blog and reading all of the blogs of my friends. While these days it seems blogger is mostly for wedding planning or baby news (both great, but things that certainly don't pertain to me) I decided to go for it, to stop just lurking on the blogs of my friends and contribute!...or something.

These days I am in my last quarter at UW, I am in my fifth year. I feel sleepy and a little uninspired at school these days (which is usually SO not me, I am a school, book, syllabus lover through and through typically). Burnout is palable. I am SO ready to be done. Also, I am working at a couple of restaurants and have started serving which I really love. Restaurant work just suits me, I think. I love both of my jobs, all of my coworkers and the work itself.

David and I have been together for over 3.5 years now. You can see us above as we look on a typical day. I like this guy and better yet, I think he likes me a little bit too. So it works out. David is cooking at a restaurant in the city, putting in some long hours and movin' on up. He does some line cook stuff but in the past several years has also been promoted as the pastry chef of his place.

more later...Bed time for Bonzo, I think. Just wanted to get something down, get the ball rolling and start my new blog! YAY!

-D