Author: Travels with Melinda

I want to share my passion for travel and empower you to see the world. I've traveled in more than 25+ countries, flown millions of miles and lived in China. A professional at both business and leisure travel, I can coach you to spread your wings and experience the best of what the world has to offer. I hope my blog posts help inspire you to take that first step and start planning your next adventure but, if you need more personalized help, please contact me directly.

Our China adventure published. A dream realized.

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Beijing, China, expat, Great Wall, Hong Kong, Nanjing, Seattle, Shanghai, Travel, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Cross that off the bucket list-publish book.  When we moved to Shanghai in 2013, I started a blog to stay in touch with family and record our adventures.  It grew into a daily rhythm to capture the craziness that was our daily life in China.  Soon, people from around the world started reaching out to me for advice:  Where can I get dog food?  Should I bring my own mattress or buy one there? Where should I live if I have kids?  Is the pollution really bad?  Why yes, it is.  Now you know.  The lungs don’t lie.  Buy a mask and wear it.

When my transfer details were finally worked out and I accepted the offer, I immediately went online and looked for blogs or books to get a feel for what our new normal would feel like.  I would be a female executive navigating through the Chinese business world while Thom adjusted to being a trailing spouse.  I was disappointed to only find guide books primarily aimed at tourists.  I was going to become a local expat and needed a source of truth to turn to that would help guide me through all the unexpected challenges from walking down the street without getting run over (truly a challenge daily!) to opening a bank account and being surprised they still used an abacus to conduct transactions.  WTF.

We relied on our Chinese tutor, Fiona, to guide us through many obstacles and just explored through fearless curiosity daily in our quest to not live in the typical expat bubble and instead venture out into the real China.  Daily we learned and as our confidence grew, Thom took off on a bike to explore and take beautiful photos and I jumped on the bullet train to commute to Beijing and Nanjing for work on a regular basis.

As a result, our blog posts and photos chronicled a journey that few folks get to take.  Those that are lucky enough to live in China can use our lessons learned to adjust quickly and with less pain than we went through at times.  Not that we didn’t love living there because we did.  We would walk down the Bund, climb the Great Wall (4x) and pinch ourselves.  “We live in China!”  It never got old and we miss our life and the people there.  The pollution, not so much.

Pulling these stories all together after we returned home to Seattle was Thom’s year-long journey.  Who knew it was so hard to edit a book?  I swear every time we thought we had all the spacing, spelling and template formatting just the way we wanted it, we found more opportunities to improve and had to change it.  FINALLY, we hit the button and made my frustrated inner writer very, very happy when Seattle to Shanghai and Back Again:  Our Year as Expats in China became a reality.

Maze anyone?
Will miss Hong Kong!
Fearless and Lucky I am according to my FT

Will anyone read it?  Maybe.  My mom will.  The aunt of a guy I met at a friend’s party who just moved to Shanghai to work for Intel will.  Who knows, maybe other people?  Making money and world publishing dominance was never the impetus for writing this book.  Sharing our adventures, recounting our tales so our granddaughter, Mia, will know that her GiGi and NaiNai were crazy world travelers while she was just being born as well as helping other expats adjust to life in China were the main objectives so we are happy.  Back in Seattle, we are always looking for the next adventure.  A vacation to Ireland is coming up soon and then possible work travel to India and Europe.  Would we move abroad again?  You never know.  Life is short.

 

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Our Ayi, Pink, and our Chinese tutor, Fiona

 

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My new friend and I exercising in the park.
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Sweet Potato Lady

“Seattle to Shanghai and Back Again: Our Year as Expats in China”  is available here-looks best in color versions vs. Kindle b/w due to photos:

Softcover book: http://www.blurb.com/b/7250489-seattle-to-shanghai-and-back-again

eBook: http://www.blurb.com/ebooks/588686

Amazon Kindle: Seattle to Shanghai and Back Again: Our Year as Expats in China

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC46Dht4h7e7Tebgx6Ri9tMA

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seattletoshanghai/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seattletoshanghaiandbackagain/

Other blogs on WordPress: https://alleyesonshanghai.com/2016/03/24/seattle-to-shanghai-and-back-again/

 

Enjoying Indie Singer/Songwriters in Seattle

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Music, Seattle, Seattle Nightlife, Uncategorized, VinylLeave a comment

I try to never take for granted that we are lucky to live in a city with such a vibrant music scene for all ages that ranges from superstars visiting us like Bruce Springsteen and The Who to hard-working talents that you have probably never heard of but should check out.  Thom and I try to support all levels, attending at least one concert a month for date night.  This fall we get to experience some fantastic indie artists who put their heart and soul into their work. Being a musician is not a easy life for most but I appreciate them all!

One of the smaller venues with phenomenal acoustics is Columbia City Theater with only 100 or so seats so you get to be up close and personal with the acts.  We’ve seen Griffin House there (and he comes back to play 12/1-go!) and last night we got to see Sean McConnell, who had been Griffin’s opening act last year but now is launching his Ghost Town tour as the main act showcasing his new album, which we bought on vinyl, of course.

Can I just say that Thom’s vinyl collection is out of control?  Soon, new furniture will be required to house it all which could be an issue as we look to downsize yet again in the future. We are looking at properties to buy in West Seattle, close to Easy Street Records which might be very, very bad for our budget if Thom can just stroll over every day looking for new vinyl.  He even, perhaps jokingly, said he would get a job there just to have more time perusing the inventory.  OH. HELL. NO.  After we put in an offer on a condo on the main drag in West Seattle yesterday, we ambled by East Street just in time to catch Sean do an in-store appearance before his concert.  He took one look at me, stared and said, “I remember you!”.  So funny and no, I am not a stalker, but on a recent girl’s weekend with my sister in Chicago, we had talked to Sean after he opened for Kris Allen at City Winery.  I had told Sean that I had asked my barber to recreate his hair style on me when I went with the shaved on the sides #3 blade look.  We’re twins now, don’t you know!

But I digress, so back to the music scene.  Sean’s opening act, Andy Davis, was good and connected to the friendly, easy-to-engage audience especially with his piano tunes.  He congratulated us on our clapping skills as everyone in the place quickly took direction to get involved with his quirky and awkward-at-love songs.  I hate a stiff crowd so it was fun to enjoy the concert with other people who appreciate good tunes with some spirit.  Sean even later commented that it was refreshing to play a venue where the focus is music vs. people eating/talking/ignoring the music. Playing bars with drunken patrons is probably not his favorite venue.  Just a guess.

Andy Davis

In the 95+ degree heatwave and a theater that was only somewhat cooled off, Sean laid it all out on the floor with his soaring, clear vocals and original lyrics that spoke to the hard life of a musician.  He and Andy are driving a van around the West Coast from Seattle to Boise (9/3 at Neurolox-Boise friends, go!) for a total of 12 cities in two weeks.  Damn, they work hard for their money.  As Sean sings in one of his songs, “One Acre of Land”, he offered his wife the opportunity to be with a broke artist who would devote himself to her despite the lack of money.  Who could turn down that offer?   His lyrics really speak to Thom and I, especially “Best We’ve Ever Been” when he sings, “And damn girl, we look good.  Yeah baby we’re the best we’ve ever been.” and explores the adventure that life can be when you have a partner you love.  That’s Thom and I-no slowing down!  Check out Sean’s vocal stylings: 

Coming soon this fall is Foy Vance, who opened for Elton John this summer on his European Tour, and who will grace Columbia City with his presence 9/28 on his Wild Swan tour. You can bet Thom and I will be there to enjoy his music before he hits it big.  Ed Sheeran signed and produced Foy’s latest album and he has gotten great media coverage in the U.S.  We will have just come back from our Ireland vacation and will be in the mood to let this Irishman entertain us.  Get out there and enjoy some Seattle music.  Cheers!

Seattle Speakeasies-Cheers!

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, booze, Cocktails, liquor, Seattle, Seattle Nightlife, Speakeasies, Travel, UncategorizedLeave a comment

“Go to the far side of the room.  Pick up the phone and identify yourself.  We will come and get you at the metal door.” Thus, our speakeasy adventure in Seattle began on a hot Friday night.

Interesting that speakeasies are, by nature, supposed to be secret and exclusive but they are trending all over social media these days.  Our first stop, Needle and Thread, was recommended by several people at work, so off we went for a taste test.  Reading up on the speakeasy protocol, I learned that you can call in advance to secure a RSVP in this very small (probably 20 people max) prohibition-style experience.  Just calling to get the RSVP was fun-you leave a message (no more than 7 days in advance) after hearing the strict rules–if you are lucky enough to get a call back, you better actually PICK UP THE CALL to talk to the host or you won’t get in.  Done.

Promptly at 5 p.m. when the parent bar, Tavern Hall, opened, we were at the phone calling upstairs to gain entrance to the speakeasy, Needle and Thread.  Dress code:  “Keep it classy”.  Not sure what their definition of “classy” is but Thom was rocking his porkpie hat and looking very hipster.  When our friends arrived after fighting the horrible Friday Seattle gridlock, our drink master interviewed us on our cocktail/alcohol preferences as there is no menu and they warn you in advance not to expect an appletini to be made in their establishment.  There ARE speakeasy standards after all and only custom cocktails served, thank you very much.  Prepping for our trip to Ireland in the fall, I’m leaning into whiskey to be better equipped to take on the true Irish experience.  Our host got it right, creating for me an iced cocktail created with Irish Bushmills whiskey, orange liqueur, cherry herring and lime juice.  Tart and sweet and very refreshing on a hot day in a bar where ceiling fans provided the only air conditioning.  We drank up, chatted politics and then headed down Pike St. to our next speakeasy experience.

After wandering the block looking for Foreign National, I spied an unique door tucked away between other restaurants-found it!  Through the layers of beads and velvet curtains, we quickly hopped into a communal booth with strangers as the space is limited and in high demand.  While we sat and enjoyed our cocktail creations, other bar patrons streamed in looking in vain for seats in this trendy bar.  I went for the Foreign National house cocktail made up of pisco, Amaro Montenegro, honey, sour orange served with an egg white frost on top.  Petite and delicious.  Our friends had the complex cocktail named Osaka #1 consisting of Suntory Toki whiskey, vermouth blanc, lemon, yuxu, orgeat, ardbert spritz and anise smoke.  WOW-I have not a clue what most of that stuff is but I got a taste of it and it was interesting to say the least.

I loved the speakeasy ambience with the small interesting spaces filled with people who value quality booze concoctions over quantity.  I can’t wait to check out other speakeasies in Seattle (list below) and in NYC when we visit our favorite city in the fall.  Cheers!

Cheers to 28 years of marriage this weekend!
Photos featured credited to the incredble photo stylings of Karmann K.

Foreign National, 300 E. Pike St., Story in Seattle Times:  http://www.seattletimes.com/life/food-drink/foreign-national-is-this-the-best-new-bar-in-seattle/;  http://www.foreignnationalbar.com/; http://www.yelp.com/biz/foreign-national-seattle-2

 Needle and Thread at Tavern Law, 1406 12th Ave., RSVP 206-325-0133, http://www.mccrackentough.com/tavernlaw/; http://www.yelp.com/biz/needle-and-thread-seattle?osq=speakeasy

 Bath Tub and Gin, 2205 2nd Ave.  http://bathtubginseattle.com/;  http://www.yelp.com/biz/bathtub-gin-and-co-seattle?osq=speakeasy

 Knee High Stocking, 1356 E. Olive Way,  http://www.kneehighstocking.com/;http://www.yelp.com/biz/knee-high-stocking-co-seattle?osq=speakeasy

Many thanks to Karmann K. for sharing her photos of the evening’s adventure!

 

 

Camping with Sexy Beast

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Parks, Travel, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Sexy Beast is back from the body shop after taking a vicious hit to the back quarter panel from a driver backing out without looking.  Very traumatic but she is now as gorgeous as ever and raring to take an adventure, so off we went to camp this weekend on the coast by the Olympic National Forest.

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Sexy Beast goes camping

“This looks like the trail” my wilderness wannabe hubby boldly proclaimed as he proceeded to lead us into the dark forest as sunset approached on the very trail where cougars had been sighted earlier, a warning that folks smarter than us had heeded as we saw no one else on the trail.  However as the trail abruptly ended and we pondered our next step, I suddenly had a new appreciation for those hikers I had previously labelled as “stupid” who get lost in the wilderness and need to be rescued.  It can happen.  Did we pack water, snacks, bear repellant, etc. when we set out for our hike?  NOPE.  After we decided we weren’t on the “real” trail and instead had ventured down a game trail that the deer had made, we bushwhacked out with me growing ever more hysterical that we would not make it out alive.  Finally, sweat pouring off us as we jumped downed trees and scrambled out of the thick fern undergrowth, we emerged onto the road where not 20 feet away was the sign for the real trail, which I chose not to take back to our tent and instead we hiked back to our campsite by the roadway.  Sure, we could get hit by a car but at least we wouldn’t have a cougar rip our throats out.  Win.  Who knew camping was this fun?  Glad I bought that flask which I put to good use as soon as we got back to our tent.

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Drinking Cab from a flask..not elegant but works

My NYC born and bred husband has always been fascinated by the great outdoors.  We even lived on a mountain for a while in Idaho (his dream) and he got to camp to his heart content, hiking up into the mountains to fly fish on a regular basis.  By himself, of course.  I on the other hand, a Hoosier raised in the heartland of Indiana, have never embraced the camping culture.  Sure, I appreciate the great outdoors from afar but sleeping in a flimsy tent with strangers close by and animals wandering around who could select me for a tasty meal has never been attractive as a vacation alternative.  Roughing it for me is a 3 star hotel.  But love conquers all and Thom likes to camp so I thought we would give it a whirl.  Life is short and all.  So, I got a used tent from the company buy/sell site and picked up 2 sleeping bags at Goodwill, not wanting to invest a lot in what could be a one and done experience.  Getting an awesome camping site is quite difficult so when a guy was selling his reservation at work that he couldn’t use, I paid the $56 for 2 nights and considered it fate.  Time to camp!

Come to find out, that dirt forest floor is damn hard.  We had taken yoga mats to put under the sleeping bags (city folk) and no pillows as we had little space for supplies since we were driving Sexy Beast.  There would be no stove to cook food or make coffee.  Thank God we are not foodies as sandwiches were on our menu for the next two days.  Yes, people in the Salt Creek Campground on the Olympic coast were walking by our campsite staring at our teeny tiny car and wondering who would camp in such a vehicle, most of them driving the more sensible option of a Subaru or truck.  Not us!

The first night was rough needless to say ending in the morning with my pronouncement that we would either go pick up air mattresses and pillows in town or leave immediately.  Off to Wal-Mart we went to the monster big box, which I hate to patronize but desperate times call for desperate shopping.  Inflated and filling up the entire tiny tent, we slept so much better the second and final night-my max camping experience is limited to 2 nights.  One can only eat so many s’mores and take woodland hikes of terror.  Yes, it was mighty beautiful and we had a great time but I do appreciate my view apartment with indoor plumbing and our memory foam mattress even more now.

On the way home, we stopped at a lovely lavender field near Sequim and blared the Black Keys as we drove with the top down and enjoyed the sunshine.  Heaven!  One odd sight while we were still driving in the heavily forested area was the preponderance of Elk Crossing signs.  Now, I’ve seen lots of deer leaping signs but not many elk ones and after we saw a few, we actually came upon one that was flashing warning lights.  WTF!  Do the elk hit a magical forest button when they are approaching the highway so motorists will stop for them as they cross?  Is there a Kinect hooked up that scans their body type and sets off the alarm?  Really, I want to know what/who activates those flashing lights for the elk???  I will have to investigate and find out the story behind those flashing lights.  Someone has to know the woodland creature warning back story.

Now we are home and enjoying having James back from Madrid and the start of the Dem Convention.  Go Hillary!

 

Life lessons as taught by seagulls

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Seattle, Uncategorized1 Comment

It’s 5:22 a.m. and I am wide awake sipping strong coffee as I watch the rooftop across the street.  The fuzzy brown toddlers race around the obstructions on the roof of the apartment building while ever vigilant momma perches on the ledge and observes.  Her fierce devotion to her children is obvious.  Day and night, she is there.  As a crow drops to the edge, she immediately attacks to scare the predator away from her babies.  She clearly demonstrates that messing with her brood would be a very bad idea.  Don’t mess with the momma seagull! 

I worry when she is not there, knowing at some point she has to go get food for the young ones but fearful that, while she is away, harm will come to them and I may see it happening and be powerless to intervene.   I can just see myself on our patio screaming at the top of my lungs at a marauding crow.  It could happen.   Just as in life,  I worry daily about my kids who are off living their lives and I can’t protect them. Stuff happens.  You pray.

Being a parent is life-changing and doesn’t end when they grow up.  I watch with pride my daughter take care of little Mia who she loves with all her heart and is the focus of all her family’s life decisions.  She spends her paycheck ensuring Mia goes to the best pre-school in Boise and every waking moment loving and taking care of her.  As I tell my family, I have and always will work hard solely so that I can take care of my family.  My daughter now does the same.

One of the three babies is smaller and runs by himself while the other two hang out and waddle around together.  I feel bad for the scrawny outcast and want to shout to the siblings to be nice and play with him too.  Silly.  It’s tough being different in birdland too.  I wonder when they will have the strength to leave and know I will miss seeing their antics. It’s a cold, cruel world out there once you leave the roof.   If they get to close to the edge and fall, I hope they will have enough wing power to float vs. flop to the ground.  Terrifying.  When they do leave, will they go far or be local Queen Anne birds?  The lure of the sea is close by and the smell of low tide must be enticing.

We did see birds mating on this very rooftop earlier in the year so wonder if this was the same bird who has now brought her babies back to the scene of the crime so to speak–maybe she has fond memories of her time with the daddy.

It’s time for me to get ready to go to work.  To take care of my kids.  Momma Seagull, have a happy day chasing around those beautiful babies of yours and be safe.  Enjoy each and every moment.  They grow up too fast and soon will be leaving the roof to fly off and do great things.

Toddler Time in Seattle

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Family vacation, Seattle, Travel, UncategorizedLeave a comment

The joy of my life visited this weekend and we totally rocked it!  Mia, my 2-year old granddaughter, was in awe of all that Seattle had to offer an active toddler. From traversing rope ladders to waterfront walks to water stomping, I savored every moment we had together exploring downtown Seattle from our base in lower Queen Anne.

Our backyard is the Seattle Center.  Lucky us!  Thom and I enjoy it every day when we walk the dogs but it was delightful for visiting Mia.  Between the Space Needle, International Fountain, Children’s Museum, Artists at Play playground, EMP, Pacific Science Center, Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum, the Armory filled with yummy restaurants and a  wading pool tucked away by Key Arena, the Seattle Center holds a treasure trove of experiences for kids of ALL ages.

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Mia and her Momma enjoying the International Fountain at the Seattle Center

 

To start the holiday weekend, we strolled downtown and stopped by Westlake Park where they have done an outstanding job adding play equipment, a reading library, and games that everyone from a two-year old to a “seasoned” adult can enjoy.  Mia the Magnificent would highly recommend the geodome climbing experience and the bean bag toss.  Lunch time at Blue Water Taco Grill was delicious with fish tacos, burritos and lots of chips and guacamole to share.  Next up, I had to return some books so the children’s area at the Seattle Library was just the ticket with a friendly librarian offering crayons and encouraging us to take home free books.  Perfect for visiting toddlers!  They must get lots of donations because they had books to spare.  A large puzzle area kept Mia engrossed and provided needed rest time for the adults after our walk.

We saved the Children’s Museum at the Seattle Center for first thing Saturday morning.  Thank goodness we had a big breakfast because we were running our asses off after Mia from one cool area to the next as she played fireman, bus driver, sailor and grocery shopper with gleeful abandon.  Ah to be young!  There were “humongous”, as Mia would describe it, blocks to put together, which Thom couldn’t resist, and a train table where Mia and I had an intense building experience to lay out the tracks for our cars.

Train Table
I want to be a firefighter

Sunday morning we braved the cruise ship crowds as they disembarked along the sidewalk on our waterfront walk past Sculpture Park and then waded through Pike Place Market.  Using the stroller to plow our way through the tourists (yes, I am a jaded “townie” who wants them all to get the #&@! out of my way), we sampled fresh pears, jerky, jams, etc. as we walked and admired the fresh flower bouquets.  Gorgeous but they weigh a ton and you have to haul them home on foot so, alas, no flowers for me.  After a brief stop for Hannah and Mike to get a growler of Rachel’s Ginger Beer for Moscow mules later at home-parents sometimes need a stiff adult beverage-we grabbed a cookie as big as a platter at one of the bakeries across from the market to snack on and made our way to the Monorail.  Always fun, the Monorail is a quick ride from downtown, dropping us off at the Seattle Center.  Again, packed with tourists, but I was nice and not TOO pushy getting on and getting a good seat to show Mia the urban scenery on the ride home.

Later, after much-needed naps (and perhaps a nip or two of wine by the weary adults, okay me), we were back at the Seattle Center again to check out the new humongous playground by the EMP.  With an area for big kids but also one designated for 2-5 year olds equipped with climbing ropes and a slide, Mia kept us busy making sure she wasn’t plunging to the turf and then racing over to try out the super cool swings and musical pipes to bang on.

After wearing us out on the playground, we decided to stroll down to South Lake Union and stomp away the afternoon on the water pad.  What a joyful experience that was with water jets spraying us as we ran through them.  Soaked and tired, we somehow climbed the Mercer hill home to spend a quiet evening watching Cars and having just a few pillow fights.  Sadly, we kissed our Mia good-bye today.  Thom cried just a little bit and is already asleep on the couch.  I’m not too far behind him.  Being a GiGi and NaiNai is hard work!

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GiGi and Mia watching Cars after their pillow fight.  What a great weekend!

Pride and Politics

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Seattle, UncategorizedLeave a comment

There was a sharp contrast between the joy of the Seattle Police Department officer kissing her girlfriend with the crowd cheering them on to the families holding hands as they waved rainbow  flags and the smiling faces of every group marching vs. the hateful signs of the anti-gay protestors.  As Lin-Manuel Miranda evangelized at the Tony Awards, love is love is love is love…and why people can’t embrace that love is beyond me.  Love trumps hate and today that showed as the participants kept on smiling despite the horrible messages being displayed along the Seattle Pride Parade route.  Love wins!WP_20160626_12_32_51_Pro

Last year we marched in the Pride Parade with the Seattle Storm contingent and had a great time handing out bam-bams.  This year, after serving 352 people in need a hot meal at the Shared Breakfast at First United Methodist for three hours, we decided to skip walking and instead cheer on the Pride along the route.  First, we hit the Seattle Center and I was glad to see that many major companies have woken up and were supporting the LGBT community with their presence, giving away a huge array of rainbow beads, wristbands, mints, pinwheels, etc.  We signed petitions for gun control and against the I-1515 Washington anti-transgender bathroom initiative.  Thom was wearing his “I’m a gun sense voter” so the anti-gun ladies had him pose for a publicity photo.  Always the model he is!   Hopefully taking advantage of the huge crowds will further these issues that are so vital to protect all people.

There was huge support at Pride by Seattle government agencies and officials from the Seattle Supreme Court to Seattle Metro Transit.  Politicians had booths as well as many religious affiliations but the odd man out (literally) was the Trump booth.  Unable to stop himself, Thom went off on the staffers because they had the gall to show up and represent their candidate who has vowed to stack the Supreme Court with justices who will repeal gay marriage rights.  “How could you sell your souls just because this is the party nominee…that’s DISGUSTING!”  I pulled him away to get a cookie from the church ladies and move on to other less stress-inducing booths.  I did have to love the “Bill for First Lady” t-shirts and just had to pose with “Bill” after trying out sticking pins into the Trump voodoo doll.  Very satisfying indeed.

At the end of the day, Pride 2016 celebrated people.  People who have the right to love who they want and be who they are in peace and without violence and hate.  Simple.  Be kind.  To all.  Oh, and dance like there is no tomorrow. 

The wait is over..cherry liqueur is ready!

On By Travels with MelindaIn booze, Cocktails, Happy Hour, liquor, Seattle, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Was it worth the two week wait?  You betcha!  After the initial pitting of 6 cups of cherries and addition of vodka and brandy, the first week we took turns shaking the homemade hooch every day so the fruit and booze could comingle.  Done.  Next, I added to the concoction a simple syrup I cooked up and it was time to let the liqueur sit and just be for another week.  Done.A__130D (2) (2)

Now, it’s drinking time!  I filtered the whole shebang through a cheesecloth-lined strainer, squeezing out the booze-infused cherries into a smooth fruity stress-reducing taste of heaven.  Sweet and strong by itself or in the “I’m with Her” cocktail I created to carry me through the election, it is DELICIOUS.  Just shake with ice 1 part cherry liqueur, 1 part vodka and 4 parts OJ.  Top with a cherry and let the sipping begin!  Here’s to summer in Seattle and a Hillary win in the fall.  Cheers!

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Signs as Seen in Seattle

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Seattle, Travel, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I love Seattle.  Living downtown we get to wander and see the silly signs that people and businesses post to encourage us to shop and laugh.  I try to imagine living in suburbia again, walking by carefully manicured lawns on the clean sidewalks and shopping the ubiquitous strip malls amid big box retailers.  No.  Thank.  You.

Block by block, the streets of Seattle always present a new view, interesting people watching and signs galore.  Here are my favorites from today’s walk:

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They had me at whiskey French toast but won’t turn down a $5 mimosa!
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Interesting twist on drinking with a fitness angle.
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I couldn’t agree more-my hat choices are picked with careful consideration to mood.
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Not often you get voters passionately advocating for a murderer over the alternatives.

Homemade Hooch. What?

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, booze, Cocktails, Food, Happy Hour, liquor, Seattle, Uncategorized1 Comment

Watch out world, I’m making my own liqueur now! Over the past few months,  I’ve created a cocktail cart, done my due diligence to research key cocktails (hard work but somebody had to do it) and now I’m moving on to creating delicious, nutritious and fruity hooch.  There’s no way for me to avoid my passion for politics in this crazy presidential year, so I’m going to need LOTS of alcohol so, very wisely, I thought why not make it myself?WP_20160612_15_46_26_Rich (2)

With a sale on cherries that are happily now in season and a recipe from my friend Dawn’s blog, I was ready to muddle and mix up some cherry liqueur.  Of course, pitting 6 cups of cherries is no small feat so on went the latex gloves as I ripped apart the gorgeous cherries while enjoying the beautiful Seattle day on our patio overlooking Elliott Bay.  Needing only one cinnamon stick, I choose not to buy the $10 jar of sticks at the grocery because, really, when will I need another?  I am nothing but cheap so we decided to check out Metropolitan Market’s bulk spice section and, sure enough, for only .14 cents, I got the one cinnamon stick I needed.  SCORE!  I already had the brandy and vodka on the cocktail cart, not being used regularly and, quite frankly, covered in dust.  What can I say?  My focus has been on  whiskey and trying to create the perfect Old Fashioned and I’m oh so close, so my other booze has been feeling a little bit left out.  Not any more!

After the pitting session, which my sidekick Thom chose not to participate in and rather just picked out the best cherries to taste, I was off to muddle.  Even after quite the aggressive muddling session, I was only able to produce a tiny amount of juice that went into a separate jar for a week while the smashed cherries got the cheerful duty of absorbing the brandy and vodka.  After storing in a non-sunny place with a shake here and there over the next week, the boozed-up cherry pieces will finally be reunited with the juice that will be boiled with water and sugar to create syrup.  The final leg of the journey requires the mixture to rest for another week before straining out the final product, my very own cherry liqueur.

Then, watch out, it’s drinking time!  Since I’m not much of a “shot” girl, I did a little research in my handy cocktail guide and created the “I’m with Her” cocktail to drink throughout the political season.  I will be saving the straight shots for the debates and take a shot every time Trump says, “Win bigly” or “Big, beautiful wall”.  Trust me, it will help.  Can’t hurt.

So, here’s my proposed “I’m With Her” cocktail to celebrate our first female president-to-be.  It will be a fruit-infused celebration in your mouth with enough kick to get you through the sure-to-be crazy upcoming political season.  Now that I think about it, this cherry liqueur will come in handy to house in a flask (still need to get one of these!) when I stand out in the freezing cold at the inauguration of our first female president.  Can’t wait! No, I’m not taking her victory for granted and I will do everything in my power to support her but I can’t imagine the alternative without going crazy so I’ll just be hopeful.  And drink.  A lot.

I’m With Her Cocktail

1parts homemade Cherry Liqueur

1parts vodka

4 parts orange juice (I would say “fresh squeezed” like the cocktail books like to say but let’s face it, who has that sitting around in their fridge when the need for a cocktail strikes??

Dash of lime juice or bitters-whichever you have just for variety

Prep-chill the glass.  Mix-shake the ingredients with ice vigorously enough to skip the gym.  Strain into a glass, the prettier, the better.  Garnish.  ALOT.  Fresh fruit or maraschino cherries or a sugar rim or umbrella decoration.  Just pick whatever is fun for you.  This is a celebration damn it!   Enjoy.  Cheers!

Many thanks to Dawn who shared this great recipe for cherry liqueur on her blog,  First Look, Then Cook.  Check out her great food recipes too.  She may even inspire me to cook!

Cherry Liqueur

Ingredients

  • 6 cups Bing cherries, pitted
  • 1 cup brandy
  • 1/2 cup vodka
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick, broken

Preparation

Put the pitted cherries at the bottom of a sealable glass jar and muddle them with a wooden spoon or muddler to release some juice. Drain the juice into a separate container and set aside. Then add the brandy, vodka, and cinnamon stick to the muddled cherries. Seal and shake the jar. Let steep for one week at room temperature away from direct sun, shaking every few days.

Combine the reserved cherry juice, sugar, and water in a pan and bring to a boil, stirring frequently until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool. Once the syrup is cooled, add it to the steeping jar, seal, and shake. Then let it steep for an additional 2 to 5 days. Strain through fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into glass jar or bottle. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.