summer in May

We're back to clouds here in Seattle, 

but those two weeks of summer weather were amazing! 

Here are some photos from the past couple weeks: 

Scenes from around the house: 

the cats eating lilacs cut from my backyard, 

a late daffodil by the sink, 

and some new squash plants getting bigger. 

I spent an afternoon at my parents' house on Whidbey 

and enjoyed this view while we ate dinner on the deck. 

Cat naps, dinner outside at Ravish with Kelly, 

and vegetables about to be grilled at Joe's. 

Kayaking after work on Lake Union, 
fish and chips outside at A Terrible Beauty, 
hiking at Carkeek Park with my little sister, 
and buying flowers at Pike Place for Mother's Day. 

Seattle Restaurant Week

There's this wonderful biannual event that occurs in Seattle 

where I am encouraged to eat three courses with every meal. 

Three courses of amazing food I wouldn't normally treat myself too. 

Seattle Restaurant Week happens in the fall and spring 

and technically lasts for two weeks excluding Fridays/Saturdays. 

This spring there were over 160 restaurants participating, 

each offering a three course dinner for $28 

and some offering a three course lunch for $15. 

Some of the restaurants are really fancy so this can be an extra good deal. 

This year a glorious thing happened - restaurant week fell on my spring break. 

So I went out to eat every day of restaurant week that first week. 

And then a few more days the next week. 

I actually made it to 7/10 days. 

Here is a summary of my two weeks of food. 

You will understand why I currently weigh more than I ever have... 

 Day one: Tilth 

Joe and I kicked off the first night with dinner at this Wallingford restaurant. 

It's an old house painted all yellow on the inside with green tables and chairs. 

I had a fresh pea soup, bean cassoulet, and this incredible 

Theo chocolate pudding for dessert. 

We also did the wine pairing which was fun because 

we each got different wines with our different dishes. 

The service and food were both very good. 

All of the dishes were unique and artistic. 

This is a great restaurant for a special occasion. 

Day two: Art 

The second night I had a lady date with Lauren and Kelly 

at this downtown restaurant with complimentary valet parking. 

They even took our coats and hung them up when we arrived. 

We had a seat by the windows an excellent service. 

I had a gravelox and citrus salad, gnocci with fava beans and mushrooms, 

and rhubarb rainbow sherbet pavlova (pictured above). 

They also had house-made potato chips with a greek yogurt aioli 

and we ordered the smoked salmon flatbread. 

All of the food was delicious and I would definitely go back. 

 Day three: Harvest Vine 

I went here with Joe and a few of our friends for dinner before trivia in Madison Park. 

We were led downstairs to another dining room with stone walls and a wine cellar feel. 

Everything is meant to be shared as this is a Basque tapas restaurant. 

I had a beet salad, pan fried trout, and rice pudding for dessert. 

Everything was tasty but I especially liked the atmosphere at this place. 

I could definitely see going back with groups of friends in the evening. 

They also do a brunch which I am dying to try. 

 Day four: Local 360 

Joe and I went to this Belltown restaurant for lunch. 

Nearly everything is sourced from within 360 miles of Seattle, thus the name. 

They even have a chalkboard listing the local farms and small businesses 

where their food and beverages come from. 

I had a roasted carrot and beet salad 

(I have a need to order anything on the menu with beets), 

taglatelli with creme fraiche, leeks and a farm egg, 

and a delicious chunky carrot cake. 

Really good comfort food here. 

I had my eye on the mac and cheese served in a skillet. 

I am a total sucker for anything served in a skillet. 

Day five: Palisade 

This is such a beautiful restaurant! 

Holly and I pretended we were rich housewives and had lunch and cocktails here. 

There is a gorgeous view of downtown and Elliott Bay Marina 

(even on this cloudy day it was lovely) and there is a sort of "river" 

in the restaurant with starfish, sea anemones, and fish swimming about. 

There is also a self-playing piano, so clearly a ghost hangs out there. 

I had a "grapevine martini", the crab and lobster bisque, 

apple wood grilled salmon, and guava and passion fruit sorbet. 

Really good service to boot. Nice place for celebrating an occasion with family. 

Day eight: LUC 

Joe and I are friends with another Joe and Holly couple. 

The four of us went to this Madison Park restaurant before trivia. 

I had the boston lettuce salad (not a fan), a roasted cauliflower 

and lentil dish with a vegetable demi-glace that was absolutely incredible, 

and a cake that I can't remember the name of. 

While the staff was nice, they weren't super attentive that night. 

I would try again because the food was good, 

but I'm hoping the service will be better next time. 

Day ten: Palisade (again) 

Yes, I went to this restaurant twice. 

I wanted to try dinner since I had been there for lunch. 

Joe and I went here for the last night of restaurant week. 

I had a "pink lady" cocktail, a salad, steelhead, and the apple crisp. 

Still a fan! 

It's a good thing this only happens twice a year 

or I would be very poor and overweight. 

But I still can't wait for the next one this Fall. 

If you have any places you'd recommend let me know! 

aaaand I'm back

Last week while using my laptop as a coaster I had a little white wine spill. 

I'm happy to report that I was able to purchase a new keyboard 

which arrived today. I installed it by myself, and I'm back up and running! 

Basically I got lucky. And I'm still using my laptop as a coaster... 

Oh and also, I'm sick. Again. 

Here's a little look at last week:

We had a few nice days with gorgeous skies. 

I took some walks around the neighborhood. 

The cats looked out the window. 

Barb and I saw "La Boheme" at the Seattle Opera. 

Pretty good week overall. 

Check out the change from morning to evening on Friday... 

super foggy driving to work in Sammamish and a gorgeous 

clear sky sunset walking to Joe's later on. 

He made pizza. He makes the BEST pizza. 

We watched Argo. Really good movie! 

On Saturday morning we picked up Joe's sister from the airport 

and began a busy day of fun activities. 

We went to the Husky bball game, lunch at Ivar's, 

wine tasting in Woodinville, and made pizzas for dinner with their family.   

On Sunday we had a glorious breakfast at Skillet Diner. 

Then we went to the Fremont Market and joined in the Theo's chocolate tour. 

I ended up running into a friend from junior high/ high school on the tour. 

We walked around Volunteer Park and looked at the fancy neighboring houses. 

Then I got a surprise call from Jason who was stranded at the airport. 

I picked him up and we went bowling at The Garage. 

The four of us enjoyed a delicious dinner at Serafina (too dark to snap photos). 

Seriously amazing. 

The evening ended with shuffleboard at the Zoo Tavern with Katie and Kearney. 

Whew. BUSY WEEKEND. No wonder I woke up 

with a sore throat Monday morning! 

But so, so fun and I wouldn't change a thing. 

Valentine's and Galentine's

I was really lucky to get to have back to back 

celebrations of love this year. 

One with my man and one with my ladies. 

I found this valentine for Joe during my recent Portland trip. 

I knew he would love the cat on it. Oh wait, that was me. 

Joe surprised me with some Harry & David goodies. 

Yum!

I got my hair colored and put on a really bright 

pink/coral dress for my date with Joe. 

We had an amazing dinner at Dahlia Lounge. 

We had cocktails and apps and then went for the main courses and wine. 

I had the Dungeness crabcakes, which were thick and fluffy 

and full of delicious crab. They were accompanied by

 furikake yam which was so, so good. 

Joe had top sirloin. And we saw Tom Douglas himself! 

After dinner we went to "Comedy of Love" at Unexpected Productions, 
and improv theater in Post Alley at Pike Place. It was really funny! 

 The next night I had Lauren and Kelly over for a Galentine's dinner. 
I made baked brie, a pomegranate champagne punch, 
a salad, and Smitten's Mushroom Marsala Pasta with Artichokes. 
Also Smitten's Red Wine Chocolate Cake with whipped cream. 

It's always fun hanging out with these girls :) 

I would definitely call the holiday a success. 
Did you have any fun Valentine's or Galentine's plans? 

recap and updates

Here's a little recap of what's been happening around here: 

 

Cat naps, mushroom lasagna from one of my newest cookbooks, 

pretty sunsets, whole wheat sourdough pancakes with huckleberries. 

Bowling with coworkers, Husky basketball, 

the Amazon holiday party (food, drinks, live music, gambling for charity). 

Lots of couch time with the kittehs. 

Overall I'd call it a good week and weekend. 

Other things that are new: 

Joe and I have been dating for six months! 

I am sick. Again. 

Somehow I've developed a gnarly cough. 

I do not believe this is related to my bout with mono in the fall. 

I have recently become obsessed with reading the newspaper. 

Which is why I haven't graded anything this weekend. 

Ok let's be real, I wouldn't have graded anything anyway. 

At least I got my homework done that was due last night. 

I think that is all. Thanks for stopping by. 

week at-a-glance

Here's a little review of my week/weekend:

1. On Monday my little sister came over and we made 

and decorated sugar cookies while watching Matilda. 

2. Trivia night at the Beveridge Pub in West Seattle. 

3. I started scrapbooking again! More on that later. 

4. My drive home on Friday. Sunshine for days! 

 1. Dean being handsome. 

2. and 3. LOTR, crafts and yummy 

snacks/drinks with two of my besties. 

4. Sunset after a Sunday full of football. 

*not pictured: Polish food on Friday for the second week in a row 

Joe made this amazing breakfast this morning. 

The vegetarian sausages were my idea and he did not eat any. 

And I got crap for it all day long. 

But it was delicious and therefore worth it! 

The weekend went really fast and I am not ready 

to go back to work tomorrow! 

Lots of fun things happening this week, though :) 

I hope you all had a lovely weekend. 

family nights

My brother is moving to San Francisco this week.
I have a small family and we have always lived close together.
I am excited for him (totally going to visit)
but it will be so weird not to have him living a couple miles away.
Thursday last week he and Kara had Joe and I and my parents
over for pizza and game night.
We played "Telestrations", which is my new favorite game.

This is my brother's drawing representing "brother in law".

See the two brothers with the law around them? I laughed so hard.



This one was by my dad. This represented "brother in law" or "best man".



This was my favorite - my brother's illustration of "Thanksgiving".

I was laughing so hard the entire game.

It was so fun to spend a night with my family!

Then on Friday night we all went out for Polish food.
Check out that plate of pieroski!

Family nights are fun :)

weekend recap

The weekend went too fast, as usual.
Friday's activities will be detailed in my next post.
I spent Saturday helping my parents
empty out my grandma's apartment.
 

Later that evening I met up with some of my high school besties

for dinner at Ballard Pizza Company (yum!)

and drinks at The Noble Fir.

I tried a cherry cider which was different but pretty tasty.

I love that bar. Not to mention I love the people I was with! 

Joe and I went to Louisa's for breakfast on Sunday.

We get there early enough that it's just us and the old people.

I had the a veggie scramble with beets, walnuts and chevre.

Joe had crabcakes benedict. That place is so good!





I spent Sunday checking things off my to do list.

I tried a new sourdough recipe, used my new mandolin

and my new food dehydrator to dry some apple slices,

cleaned behind the fridge, found my missing credit card

that I thought the cats stole, reorganized my

kitchen cabinets, and finally took down my dead xmas tree.

Whew! Then I had Joe's delicious mac and cheese for dinner.

 

Pretty good little weekend for me.

How was yours?

The Weekend and New Years Recap

You guys. 

I had such a great end of break. 

1. I made my first loaf of sourdough bread. 

I will definitely be blogging about this soon! 

I am going to try another fun sourdough recipe this weekend first. 

2. Joe and I took the ferry to Bainbridge Island on Sunday. 

Such a fun relaxing day! 

3. While on Bainbridge we walked to the Harbour Public House 

for a beer. We didn't eat here as we were still full 

from breakfast (Skillet Diner!) but I would love to go back. 

4. Later that night Joe made this gorgeous 

champagne cake for New Years. 

1. I made a little trip to Bellingham on NYE morning 

to see my college girlfriends and their babies. 

2. Baby Hailey is only a few weeks old. 

She is way cuter in person and so sweet. 

I also got to play with 8 month old Reed, 

who is the happiest and most energetic baby ever. 

It was also so nice to catch up with girlfriends 

I don't see as often as I wish I could. 

3 and 4. This year for NYE I went to see Pickwick 

with Joe and a bunch of his friends. I had such a good time! 

It was also fun to spend New Years Day being super lazy. 

I have more photos from tonight to share soon, 

but it's already wayyyy past my bedtime :) 

I hope you all had a Happy New Year! 

what weekend?

Weekends are not long enough. 

And here's why:

Friday: dinner with my Little's family followed by 

downtown carousel ride followed by one drink with Joe 

followed by tripping on a curb and falling down on the side of the road. 

Saturday: Husky basketball game 

followed by dinner at my parents' house 

followed by ugly sweater pub crawl in Ballard and staying out until 2am. 

Sunday: Breakfast at Portage Bay 

followed by homework followed by high tea with Barb at the Sorrento Hotel 

followed by dinner at Joe's cousin's house 

followed by more homework. 

Woah. 

Also today I caught myself saying out loud: 

"Fun first, homework last." 

I won't take it back. 

P.S. Sorry for the overuse of "followed by" in this post.