Boise Charm-Home for the Holidays

On November 29, 2015November 29, 2015 By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Boise, Christmas, Holidays, Seattle, Uncategorized, walkingLeave a comment

FB_20151122_18_35_54_Saved_Picture — Mia and I taking a walk near our cottage in Boise

While we are lucky most of the year to enjoy our beautiful place in Seattle overlooking the water, when we come home for the holidays to our house in Boise, we get to revel in family time and experience the rolling foothills, bitter cold (brrrrr!) and snow. Seriously, I brought warm clothes but you can’t dress in enough layers to cope with this frozen tundra crap. And, while Thom is squiring us around town in our cool red Kia that we keep here, the squirrel community has already declined, with more surely to meet their early demise, as seemingly endless supplies of the squirrel population have some freaky death wish to run right in front of our car ALL THE TIME! In speaking with David Sedaris at his recent Seattle talk at Benroya Hall, we explained our daughter lived in Boise, Idaho, to which he reacted by saying something to the effect that the squirrels were stalking him when he visited Boise and seriously, WTF! Yep, the squirrels here are plentiful and crazy but Thom may have a personal hand in changing that status. David, you’ll be safe to return to Boise soon to give an inspiring reading.

Braving the cold at the Bowls fundraiser-Thom & I, James & Hannah and Mia

The day after Thanksgiving, we bundled up to go to the Idaho Food Bank’s fundraiser, Bowls, that is a tradition for many Boise families. People throughout the year decorate bowls and donate them for this event where you spend $10 to buy a bowl and then get soup donated from local restaurants. Last year, with temps in the 40’s, it was lovely and we lingered, eating our soup outside. This year, we quickly bought bowls, snagged some soup and ran home to eat. Still, we participated and all proceeds went to a worthy charity, that raised $39,000 last year at this event. Here’s hoping they exceeded that this year!

Our social life in Boise differs greatly from Seattle because we are Mia-focused here, soaking up the cutest darling in the world while we can. To say she is the most intelligent, beautiful child would be a vast understatement. She loves to dance and play hide and seek with her Gi Gi and Nai Nai. Mostly on-the-go, sometimes she will consent to sit down to color or read a story. Before the cold wave hit, we enjoyed the park by our house, creeping and crawling through and under tunnels, going up hills and swinging endlessly.

We rent our cottage in Boise most of the year to short term VRBO clients and it’s so popular we had to book it out to use ourselves while we are here in December. Close to the trails and Hyde Park social scene, I can actually walk to the local office here and work remote. With only 800 sq ft, it is a bit small if we moved here full time in the future so we are dreaming of an extension that would allow us to have a family room, modern bathroom and fireplace. I know that clawfoot bathtubs seem romantic and vintage but they are a royal pain to climb in and out of. Death by clawfoot tub-it could happen. Give me a multi-head walk in shower…please! I have to admit I’ve never stepped into the basement where the w/d is located, down a steep set of fold down stairs so that will have to be addressed too in a remodel–no crawling down into creepy space to do laundry for me. Thom, at this point, is calling me out that I rarely do the laundry and, while that is very true, there may be a time when I have to so plan we must for that rare scenario.

While we don’t have the urban walks, night clubs, professional sports teams and frequent concert opportunities like we do in Seattle, we did enjoy going to a Boise State basketball game last week that they won handily and plan on trying out a jazz club soon. I found an indie bookstore that was just enchanting in downtown Boise, which is a vibrant place full of shops and restaurants. They even have a vinyl store that, thankfully, Thom has yet to check out. The biggest difference is that with the frigid temps, it discourages the long walks that we love so much. Definitely have to be a gym rat here to stay in shape indoors in the long winter months. Oh well, you adjust and, while we might not love the weather, we do love our family and they are the first priority come snow or rain. So, it’s happy holidays, Boise-style, which means enjoying the Idaho Potato Drop (from a crane downtown) to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Yes, really. When in Idaho….

Theater, Scotch and Sailboats…Oh My!

On November 21, 2015 By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Cocktails, Seattle, Uncategorized, walkingLeave a comment

Who on Earth would predict that a musical about 9/11 and how the town of Gander, Newfoundland welcomed 7,000 passengers on 38 planes diverted there that day would be so inspirational and wonderful? NOT ME! Boy, was I shocked. We laughed and cried and didn’t want it to end. I have to tell you, when Thom told me where we would be going this past Thursday night, I was wanting to do almost anything else!! His dear childhood friend that has worked for 30+ years at American Airlines guiding flights around the world, Billy, and his wife were scheduled to come visit us for the opening of the play as he was personally involved with the main character in the story, Beverly the pilot of one of the flights diverted. Billy guided Beverly and her flight to safety that horrific day and they have stayed in touch ever since, bonded for life by tragic circumstances beyond their control.

Unfortunately Billy recently had surgery and couldn’t travel but we went in his place. Seated next to us were a nice couple who immediately told us that they were retired pilots who had been at the play for opening night and found it so amazing that they bought the extra tickets that Billy had purchased. Also friends with Beverly, who was at the theater that night, they had a personal connection to this particular story, having flown during that crazy time. Flying a few days after 9/11 for work, I remember thinking that air travel will never be the same and it certainly isn’t. No more greeting family at the gate and please take off your shoes, no liquids over a certain size, etc. WP_20151119_21_21_19_Pro

But back to the play that brings it all to life. With clever use of the actors playing several roles, the story is told of one particular flight flown by Beverly and diverted to Gander. The citizens take in this mass influx of people with some trepidation but end up feeding and housing them all over town for a week or so. Authors David Hein and Irene Sankoff nailed the snappy dialogue, plot line and wonderful songs. I have seen many a Broadway play and this would win a Tony for sure. Let’s hope they get publicity and make a run for Broadway. I only hope that they keep the same cast and band because they were top-notch and I can’t imagine anyone else in those roles. If you live in Seattle, GO SEE IT! It’s playing at the Seattle Repertory Theatre until December 13th. Seattle Times Review of “Come From Away”

Friday night, bearing beer and wine as boat-warming gifts, we visited our friend Brad’s newly acquired sailboat just north of Ballard. Draped in festive holiday lights, the 3 br/2 head money pit (all boats are!) was warm and cozy below and brisk up top as the 20+ people drank and socialized. Seeing the crowd drink scotch to warm up, I figured, “What the Hell!” and decided to join them and have my first taste of scotch. Hmmm…it sure does warm up your whole throat for an extended period of time. These scotch drinkers could be on to something. My friend Kurt has offered to “school me” on the varieties of scotch as he has drank his way across Europe tasting and sipping. Bring on Booze 101 classes! Now, I’m not a boat person, having owned a lake cottage and boat at one point and didn’t really enjoy them, but these sailors seem to be very dedicated and borderline obsessed with this lifestyle. Expensive, yes, but a social way to embrace the beauty of the water. As long as it stays at the dock and the wine/scotch is flowing, count me in. Ahoy mate!

A fine weekend in Seattle with Glen, David and Jesse

On November 16, 2015November 16, 2015 By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, books, Music, Seattle, Uncategorized, walkingLeave a comment

Glen serenades us from the balcony-just glad he didn't fall. — Glen serenades us from the balcony-just glad he didn’t fall.

What incredible talent (NOT the Seahawks but that’s another story) we experienced this weekend in Seattle-AMAZING! To start off, we were lucky enough to finally get to see Glen Hansard, who was performing at The Moore. The star of Once (my favorite movie AND Broadway play), Glen is a 45 year old Irish lad who can rock passionately and croon softly. The sold out crowd of devoted fans sang along, danced in the aisles and enjoyed his banter in the intimate setting. We didn’t want the night to end…

Falling Softly earned him an Academy Award in 2007 for Best Original Song and was the showpiece song for Once. However, his music from his new album, Didn’t He Ramble, was addictive and, coupled with his energetic live performance, it made me immediately want to see him perform again. Seattle should only be so lucky to have another Hansard concert soon. At the end, he and his bandmate surprised us when they popped up in the balcony, swung their legs over and serenaded us in a duet to die for:

Of course, I was hoping nobody ACTUALLY died but it was a close call as Glen was banging on his guitar and swinging his legs high as he perched above the crowd. Luckily no one was injured and he went on to join his whole band and crew to perform an acapella Irish ballad in his final farewell to the audience that was so sad to see him go.

The next night, another sold out show for us, but this time taking place at the beautiful and spacious Benroya Hall, where we laughed till we cried as David Sedaris read story after story of his tales from picking up trash from the roadside near his home in England (he is known as “Pig Pen” to his neighbors), sharing his North Carolina vacation home with his dysfunctionally hilarious family and just commentary on life in general from his unique yet twisted perspective. Of course he has written many books but he read, not from those, but from his New Yorker articles: http://www.newyorker.com/contributors/david-sedaris

Funniest story of the night for me was his tale of having a lipoma (fatty tumors like what Izaac, our Viszla gets all over his body-I call him lumpy in an affectionate way) removed illegally by a fan who took him “across the border” from Texas to New Mexico. David got his lipoma chopped into small pieces and sealed in a baggie on ice for the journey to his summer home where he intended to feed it to his favorite turtle, who was also disfigured by a tumor, this one on top of his small head. Unfortunately, the turtle had died recently according to his neighbor. So, dropping the bloody unfrozen tumor bits and pieces to turtles under the bridge near a tourist mall, he was asked by a Southern gentleman what he was feeding them because they were snapping it up mighty fine. “Chicken” declared David to the guy he deemed a red neck yahoo by his tacky t-shirt. David then thought to himself, who I am to judge? I am, after all, feeding a turtle parts of my body. Good point, David.

David also read from his many diary entries, which will comprise his next book. An avid Fitbit user, he once hit 72,000 steps in a day, which is just impossibly hard to do. WTF! I was dying in Amsterdam when I hit 18,000. But I get it because he explained that his Fitbit was taunting him, luring him, day by day, into more steps with sassy text message challenges. Mine tells me frequently that I am an “overachiever”. Duh!

When regaling us with his thoughts on politics and specifically the rise of Trump, he didn’t even know where to begin but spoke of his talk to a German fellow who asked David what he thought of the Trumpster. David likened him to a cartoon character whose Vice President would just have to be…. wait for it…..THE Hamburgler. Of course, David had to explain to the German what a Hamburgler was in American culture. Spot on, David.

I also got a chance to hear Jesse Eisenberg speak at my work on his new book, Beemis gives me hiccups. At Q & A, I told him he appeared to be channeling Woody Allen and asked him what he thought of the great man since he had just worked with Woody on a new movie. His nervous mannerisms, thoroughly NYC attitude (born in Queens) and self-deprecating style was SO Woody. He strikes me as more of a writer than an actor just from our brief meeting.

Afterward, I researched Jesse and found out he had idolized Woody since high school, sending him screenplays at an early age. Nice to know when Woody dies (as David S. would surely point out) we have a younger version standing in the wings ready to take over Woody’s post as the neurotic New York artist.

My only regret this weekend was that we were not able to see Allen Stone perform in NYC at the Apollo. I’m sure it was legendary! Next week we are off to Boise to spend the holidays, where we will continue our date nights and seek out adventure when we are not babysitting the incredible Mia! Nai Nai is on her way, baby girl!

Volunteering in Seattle-Do Something!

On November 13, 2015November 13, 2015 By Travels with MelindaIn SeattleLeave a comment

Got socks? I’m looking for 400+ pairs of warm socks to give to the folks in need who gather for Shared Breakfast every Sunday morning at First United Methodist in Seattle. If you have contacts with any retailer who might want to donate new warm socks, please let me know. I’m not afraid to ask-got to try, right? Warm feet and a warm belly are fulfilling basic needs for people living on the streets of Seattle.

Shared Breakfast at First United Methodist serves those in need in our neighborhood in Seattle

I was lucky enough to serve 330 people a warm yummy breakfast of fresh scrambled eggs, sausage, biscuits & gravy with oj/coffee and hot or cold cereal last Sunday. Thirty or so volunteers, some experienced and others like me learning the ropes, served each individual with respect and warmth from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Thom was on compost duty and I not only waited on tables but graduated to the kitchen line getting the food out while it was hot and delicious. The gal running the show knew her regulars and made sure special requests like no meat or no dairy were quickly addressed. She was even vigilant in ensuring the presentation of the plates was perfect, sending back a few where the eggs got dropped on top of the sausage by mistake. This was a well-run operation from start to finish with compassion and hard work to serve those arriving in three waves for service.

Chatting up the fellow volunteers, I met a group of teens who went to school on Mercer Island. James was a Senior who hoped to get into Stanford for college. He had a big smile and worked quickly to do whatever was needed on his first volunteer assignment. I believe he will go far with that type of servant leadership mentality. The very capable lady running the grill churned out scrambled eggs by the tubful while simultaneously stirring the hot homemade oatmeal, ensuring it was seasoned well with cinnamon before going out to the floor in huge bowls to be served. She is the volunteer driving the sock distribution on Thanksgiving. If I can’t find a corporate sponsor, I will do my share and pitch in with a personal donation. Luckily, my company matches 501(c)(3) donations so I can get double the bang for my buck to support them. What a great company I work for-not only do that do that but they also will pay any place I volunteer $25/hour to the organization when I log my time. Imagine if every company was so generous what an impact we could make in our communities???

I also was able to take advantage of some new items like t-shirts and backpacks that weren’t going to be used by my company to support a donation drive for YouthCare in Seattle, which supports teens from 12-24 who are homeless and in need. Imagine their delight when they see these game-logo items plus the RockBand unit I also was able to donate to the center. I am hoping to pull together a group outing for my business co-workers and do a gaming party for the teens soon. I’ve done this before and it is always a huge hit!

Thom and I both felt it was time to give back to our neighborhood. We’ve been back a year now from China and settled into our new home and new job after a year of hectic travel. Thom has reached out to the local non-profit radio station to volunteer to do photography, his passion, in addition to supporting Shared Breakfast. I will also continue to support Shared Breakfast by learning how to do grant writing and seeing if we can provide a more reliable stream of donations so that we never have to worry about feeding those who are hungry.

My daughter and son grew up assisting us in volunteering and have such huge hearts to help others. Hannah just took on a volunteer post as the Idaho Chapter Leader with Moms Demand Action to Gun Sense in America. It’s sad that guns are so prevalent and parents need to quiz other parents about their gun safety in their homes before allowing their children to visit but it is the reality of life here in the U.S. I know Hannah will make a difference and even if she saves one young life with her message, that is HUGE. I am so proud of her.

Now, I have volunteered on and off for years so I am the first to say I could and should have done more. But now I would ask that you reflect on what YOU can do in your local neighborhood. Today. That could be donating to the food bank, planting a tree or serving breakfast to the homeless but do something. Isn’t that what life is all about? Most people aren’t as blessed as I am and I forget that sometimes so shame on me and I get bogged down in living life vs. seeing the big picture. Do you have money? Do you have time? Do SOMETHING. Please. And, as Hannah would say, “Kind words cost nothing.”

Fun Friday Happenings in Seattle!

On November 7, 2015November 7, 2015 By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, bookstores, Museum, Seattle, Seattle Nightlife, TravelLeave a comment

Despite a busy work day on Friday, I managed to squeeze in some shopping at the new and “only one in the world” Amazon Bookstore at University Village that just opened up and then joined the “IT” crowd at the Seattle Art Museum REMIX event in the evening. Fun in Seattle despite a dreary day!

Seattle Art Museum Remix Event on Friday night-dancing, art and music! — Seattle Art Museum REMIX Event on Friday night-dancing, art and music! What’s not to like?

While working at UV, my team and I tried to get into Din Tai Fung for lunch but to no avail–still widely popular (also in China!) this dumpling superstar restaurant had a one hour wait time at 11:30 a.m. just after opening. WTF!!! They’re good but they’re just pork dumplings people! Okay for tourists and leisure shoppers to wait it out but, on a work lunch hour, not so much for us. So we traipsed across the street to another place that probably loves being so close to Din Tai Fung because it gets people like us who can’t wait. After some lovely fish tacos, I just had to check out the Amazon Bookstore that was all the rage in recent national headlines. Thom shared with me some source that quipped, “first they killed the bookstore and now they’re wearing their dead skin”– pretty graphic but true. As most online retailers are learning, you can make a lot of money online but it doesn’t replace the experience of being able to serve customers face-to-face and hear their feedback.

Each book has a sign with reader review and upc code

Amazon Book Store at University Village was hopping on Friday

The Amazon bookstore is not a comfortable place-no overstuffed chairs or cafés like Elliott Bay Bookstore, my favorite on Capital Hill, though they do have ledges by the window to perch on uncomfortably while checking out the merchandise. Message here is: stay but not too long-buy our stuff and get the hell out for the next customer. Their hardware takes up the center of the store, Kindles and such, but the true star of the store is the authentic, not electronic, books that beg to be bought and curled up with on a rainy Seattle day. I actually liked how the signs for each book feature a customer review and their endcaps have delightful curated selections like “if you like George R.R. Martin, try these” or “if you enjoy series, try these” which helps guide voracious readers like me who are always looking for new material to consume. I finally had to put a halt to my Amazon Kindle book habit as it was costing $100ish a month. I turned to the Seattle online library lending of Kindle books which, while not a huge assortment, still helps feed my reading habit for free. Reading is one of life’s pleasure however you enjoy it but there is nothing better than a cozy bookstore–just don’t go to the Amazon bookstore if that is what you want. Try Elliott Bay or Third Place Books!

Elvis Costello would not be happy that his book is categorized by Amazon next to Donald — Elvis Costello would not be happy that his book is categorized by Amazon next to the Donald

On to the evening’s entertainment! After work I trotted home and changed into my evening attire to check out the Seattle Art Museum REMIX scene. I found out about it through a Meetup group I joined, Seattle Arts & Culture Events, that lets you know about cool stuff happening around town. We got a $5 discount on the $25 tickets for the 8 p.m.-midnight event “after hours” at the museum. We showed up around 8ish and there was line stretched down the block to get in-what a crowd! This is definitely a place to go not only with a date but also to meet and greet new people, i.e. pick up someone. The crowd (about 2500 people, mainly 20-30ish crowd) was dressed to the nines-we even saw a stylish guy with the whole pirate ruffled shirt thing going on paired with a jacked and jeans. Somehow he pulled it off! Kudos to him! While the majority of the guys were still rocking jeans and major plaid, the ladies were going all out with dresses and fierce heels. Very rarely have I seen such a display of fashion in Seattle. Loved the people watching!

Renoir's portrait of Monet, my favorite artist. — Renoir’s portrait of Monet, my favorite artist.

What is REMIX? A packed house for the quarterly event enjoying adult arts & crafts, bands, drinking (on the lower level only away from the masterpieces) and celebrity-led tours. We joined Lorrie Cardoso, founder of our meetup group, as she led us around sharing her favorite and least favorite pieces of art. She was not a huge fan of the golden urinal in the Modern section of the museum. Agreed.

Our tour guide shows us her "least favorite" piece at the SAM-the gold urinal — Our tour guide shows us her “least favorite” piece at the SAM-the gold urinal

We had planned to enjoy the Impressionist exhibit anyway so this gave us new perspective with her guidance. Since most of the pieces in this collection are from the National Museum of Art in DC, we had already seen them but Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, etc. never disappoint no matter how many times you are lucky enough to view them.

We were probably the first to leave around 10 p.m. just as the dancing was getting going but it had been a long week and we had a long walk home on a beautiful fall evening. So thankful, as always, that we live in a great town and are able to enjoy wonderful experiences.

Florence and Joe…what a week in Seattle!

On November 1, 2015November 1, 2015 By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Music, SeattleLeave a comment

Would it be easier just to work 12 hours a day and be a couch potato during a wet, gray typical fall week in Seattle? Sure, but I FORCED myself to take advantage of all that Seattle has to offer even if it meant getting out of my comfort zone. So, attending a concert all by myself while Thom watched the Mets was my first adventure this week. Florence and her Machine were in town and my spirit felt like dancing so when a ticket became available on my company’s ticket exchange site, I snapped it right up.

Florence has THE best show with lots of twirling and energy.

Now, emailing the guy who was selling the ticket made it clear that he probably was stood up by his date for that night’s performance and he was still going. AWKWARD. Yep, when he arrived he was a middle-aged engineer in shorts with a major Florence crush going on-he’d seen her four times in concert. But after chatting briefly about how totally awesome our seats were-7 rows from the stage and right by the aisle where she would later run down barefoot to greet her adoring fans, we settled in for some good music and enjoyed the concert.

The opening act was John Lennon’s son, Sean, and his band which I didn’t find out until reading the concert review. Not my cup of head-banging rock tea but the opening acts aren’t supposed to outshine the main artist so not much was expected. By the time Florence came out to a packed Key Arena, the crowd was ready to stand and be heard. We didn’t sit down once during the whole show and not once did I look at the time–true measure of a great concert. Her new album tunes are wonderful as well as her hits from the past.

Barefoot and dancing all across the stage and around the arena, Florence flings that long red hair and posed ALOT in her white satin pants and vest. At one point, during Dog Days of Summer, she took off her vest and encouraged everyone to “take it off” which the folks in front of me did just that, removing their shirts so that all I saw was naked flesh bouncing up and down. Interesting. I declined to undress and thank God the guy next to me didn’t either. NO. THANK. YOU. All in all, a fun and interesting way to spend a dreary Tuesday night for sure.

Florence greeted the front row with flowers.

Later in the week, Thom and I took advantage of a company event on campus to meet Joe Klein, the famous NY journalist who wrote Primary Colors and just published a new book, Charlie Mike. Joe has survived 11+ presidential elections and shared his opinions on the crazy Republicans–Rubio is most sane but doesn’t understand foreign policy and Bernie’s alliance with the teachers unions makes him suspicious. He’s not a Bernie fan.

He believes the whole Trump-Carson unholy lead in the polls is due to the low information voters (duh!) who think that running for president is now a reality show. I agreed with him that we are all waiting for the Republicans to wake up and smell the coffee and take this thing seriously with qualified candidates to run, not that I will be voting for them, but still. Have some respect for yourselves and put up a serious candidate who isn’t crazy for shit’s sake. #hillarywins

Joe embedded with troops both on the battlefield and then returning home to write his latest book. He is passionate about expanding national service to bring the nation together and create high information voters who care about their communities more. The returning veterans have been moving into public service when they return with success in not only saving others but themselves. Can’t wait to read his book.

Joe Klein chats with Thom and signs his book for us.

Interestingly, when Thom boarded his flight Friday to return to his beloved NYC to watch the Mets in the World Series, he was surprised to find Joe sitting directly behind him. I guess even famous journalists ride in Coach when they are on book tours. They chatted about the Mets, what else?

So, work went on and the rain fell but I had a fun week in Seattle! Looking forward to this week’s date night at a special event at the Seattle Art Museum to view the new Impressionist collection and party down among great works of art.

Make A Wish Princess Alexis!

On October 24, 2015October 24, 2015 By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Seattle, TravelLeave a comment

Princess Alexis, a very brave five year old in a sparkly dress and waving her flower wand, ascended the red carpet with her prince and fairy godmother escorting her and her family into Cinerama today for the world premiere of the video that was her wish. After watching a video that helped her during her personal struggle with leukemia, Alexis decided that she wanted to have her very own animated video of her journey with cancer to share with other children and help them too. I can’t imagine a child under five years old deciding to use her one wish to help others vs. going to Disneyland, the most popular wish for children in this great program. That’s amazing. I am so inspired by her compassion and strength.

The hat is AMAZING! This witch is ready to hit the red carpet and wave her wand.

Thom accompanied me to join the crowd to line the red carpet to welcome Alexis and support her as they showed her video at Cinerama today. Everyone was encouraged to wear their best “fairy tale attire” so off to Goodwill I went and found the coolest HUGE black hat that, teamed up with my all black dress, boots and cape and paired with a glittery wand, created a first class “good” witch. Alexis had on a princess outfit so it just seemed right to hand her my wand that went so well with her outfit as she walked by on the red carpet. Later, the “prince” who was Roger Levesque, a retired Sounders player, was seen holding it and her flowers for her. May I say that in tights and a cape, he made a mighty fine looking prince! I hope Alexis enjoys playing dress up with her wand. I’ll keep the hat just in case I need a quick costume for who knows what in the future. You never know when a witch will be needed… no commentary, Thom.

Princess Alexis is the center of attention at her movie premiere.

I had never been to Paul Allen’s movie theater but from the chocolate popcorn (sounds gross but so yummy) to the cushy seats and sparkly ceiling lights, I was impressed and can’t wait to go back. Cinerama donated the facility for the event today and World Famous studios volunteered their production staff to make the video, working with Alexis and her family to bring her ideas to life. We got to see a video of how they made the video with everyone’s input. Super team effort for such a worthy cause. Check out her video at: https://youtu.be/hsFC697omCM

Alexis’s story reminds me that with the love and support of your family and friends, you can battle whatever challenges you may face in your life. Thank you, Alexis.

Classic Cocktails-The Sidecar goes down smooth!

On October 17, 2015October 17, 2015 By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Cocktails, Europe, expat, Nightlife, Seattle, Travel, vacationLeave a comment

Cocktail research continues! Next up-The Sidecar. A classic cocktail that my mom fondly remembers from her wild days out on the town in Indy with my dad. At Café Navarre in South Bend, Indiana, Michael shook me up a sidecar and shared his secrets to a fine drink indeed. BTW, no, I don’t travel around the world just to drink cocktails but as I’m writing this I’m thinking that would be a cool idea. Hmmm…..how can I make that happen? A few weeks ago I was testing out appletinis in Vancouver on a vacation weekend but now I’m in South Bend to see mom and also to attend the ND/USC football game with my sis who somehow was able to score us tickets to this “game of the century”. Well done, Beck. With Coach Steve S. fired last week, I’m hoping the Irish roll. But enough about football and now back to the REALLY important stuff… cocktails.

My handy dandy cocktail book tells me that the sidecar originated in Paris at Harry’s Bar and was invented as an elegant cocktail for American expats living there. After Prohibition ended, there were cocktail drinkers who declared it almost made the long, dry years worth the wait. Harry’s Bar has dubbed itself “the oldest cocktail bar in Europe” so I MUST add that to the travel list for next year. Would I travel to Paris just to enjoy a classic sidecar at the bar that birthed it-oui!

Michael at Café Navarro makes a mean sidecar!

My cocktail book back home lists the ingredients for a sidecar as: brandy, orange liqueur and lemon juice. Michael had, of course, another plan as I’m finding out that no cocktail is ever made the same. He shook up 2 ounces of Hennessey cognac (fancy!), 3/4 ounce each of freshly squeezed (of course!) lime juice and Cointreau liqueur and poured into my sugar-rimmed martini glass. Smooth and slightly sweet, it was the perfect balance of liquor to warm me up on a cold pre-game evening. DAMN that was good! Is it proper bar etiquette to lick the glass clean?

Michael was kind enough to share his vast knowledge with us on other cocktails as well. His fav on the cocktail menu at Café Navarre is “Final Word” featuring a complex list of ingredients: Rye whiskey, lemon juice, Luxardo maraschino liqueur, green Chartreaus, spanked mint and lavender bitters. “Spanked” mint? How do you spank a mint you might ask??? Well, Michael gave us a quick spanking demo–lighter than a muddling, just place the fresh mint in your palm and gently bruise it. Gotcha-can’t wait to spank some mint myself.

Handcrafted cocktails at Café Navarro feature a complex array of ingredients

Lavender bitters--who knew? — Lavender bitters–who knew?

Michael also introduced us to the complex world of bitters. His bar houses a wide array of medicinal looking bottles that add another layer of complexity to cocktails and are a staple ingredient for the handcrafted cocktails featured on his menu-orange bitters, lavender bitters, #2 bitters, etc. Michael even suggested that you can add a dash of bitters mid-drinking a cocktail to create a whole different experience within just one glass. A whole “bitter” world to explore in future blog posts-the research MUST continue!

Now, I’m off to throw on multiple layers to keep warm at a chilly 30ish degree evening ND game tonight-GO IRISH!

Walking ALL over Vancouver, BC

On October 10, 2015 By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Canada, Food, Seattle, Travel, Vancouver, walkingLeave a comment

Now, I’ve been to Vancouver many times but mostly for business reasons. BORING! This past weekend, I got to go for fun with Thom and my best friend Patti and her husband Larry. Got to hand it to Patti and Larry-they have faithfully visited us everywhere from NYC to China to Seattle. So now it was time to add Canada to our list! After enjoying the Amtrak up to Vancouver, we had a blast, though I did walk too fast and too far for my friends. Sorry Patti!!! I actually got up early Saturday to walk 3 miles by myself around the waterfront (sunrise!) and burn off some energy so I would walk slower the rest of the day. I don’t realize how fast I walk because Thom is just as bad until I get around folks who don’t get a chance to walk as much as I do. Let’s face it, most people drive everywhere they need to go especially if they live in the country. I’m an urban chick and my idea of a good day is being able to walk 10 miles. Crazy!!!

Now, I have never dug into the history of Vancouver but now I can say with authority that this is a city built-in a very similar manner as Seattle and San Francisco-natural resources and a wild, wild west attitude. After seeing great reviews on TripAdvisor, I signed us up for two free walking tours-one each day-for Gastown and Chinatown. Now, you may say that you get what you pay for so why go on a free tour??? I thought the same but so glad we went because Ali and Leni, our guides, were both enthusiastic and knew their stuff. They entertained us with stories and a well thought out walking tour designed to make the history of Vancouver come to life. This is their job (or at least one of them-they are not getting rich working for tips) but they ask that, if you liked the tour, you give them something for their delightful storytelling and expertise. Check them out if you are in Vancouver: http://www.tourguys.ca.

Patti and Larry enjoying Leni's stories on the walking tour of Gastown — Patti and Larry enjoying Leni’s stories on the walking tour of Gastown

After our Chinatown tour, we headed straight to the best rated (Yelp!) restaurant in the transitioning Chinatown area. Now, the Chinese residents are moving out as they can afford to so this Chinatown is not a vibrant area but with it’s seafood and produce markets, it did remind me of our home in Shanghai. I miss it so much! Lots of raw fish, baskets of dried seafood and veggies. So pungent smelling!

We went to the New Town Bakery and indulged in egg tarts, potstickers and yummy dishes galore. We met a lovely lady from Perth, Australia on our tour who was in town on a grant from her city job to tour the world and study best practices in urban planning and invited her along to lunch. Of course, now Thom is hooking her up with his contacts in NYC to help her out. So nice to help other world travelers!

The Gastown tour ended thankfully right next to my favorite place to eat in Vancouver-the Water St. Café. Seriously, every time I go there I eat the salmon risotto and this trip was no exception. Patti tried it too and literally licked the plate. So creamy, so delicious!

Water Street Café--salmon risotto so good Patti licked the plate! — Water Street Café–salmon risotto so good Patti licked the plate!

The whole Yaletown and Gastown areas are filled with restaurants and interesting shops as well as being historic. Of course, Thom found a few vinyl stores and had to shop for his ever-expanding collection. With a new Nordstrom’s and their local chain, Roots, everywhere, it was hard NOT to spend money. With a good exchange rate, I wish I had brought more luggage more to carry home Canadian treasures. Oh well, next time! Only a few hours drive from Seattle, I’ll be back soon!

The markets in Chinatown reminded me of home in Shanghai

Thom found LOTS of vinyl stores in Vancouver

The Cocktail Quest Continues…

On October 4, 2015 By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Cocktails, Food, Seattle, Travel, vacation, VancouverLeave a comment

Ask a bartender for their appletini recipe and you will quickly find out that everyone has their very own special way to make it. What the hell??? You’d think a simple cocktail like that would be pretty standard from place to place. After intensive research (someone has to do it!) I got quite the list of varied ingredients and suggestions on how to make the perfect appletini. Please let me share.

On our first stop, the Templeton diner that was recommended on Yelp as having “character” certainly did as it was in the rough section of Vancouver next to a TripleXXX peep show establishment. Most tourists would run the opposite way if they found themselves in this type of neighborhood in a foreign country. Not us-we embraced it and took photos! Now, a diner known for burgers and milkshakes might not be the best place to try out appletini’s but, you betcha, we did just that. Nothing goes better with a plate of poutine than an appletini!

Our lovely waitress shared her unique recipe—vodka, peach schnapps and apple juice. Crazy tasty! Paired with plates of poutine and salads/burgers plus milkshakes for the boys, we had quite the feast and laughed ourselves silly over our choice of fine dining experiences the first night in Vancouver. We know how to have a good time-pick a shabby diner next to a peep show with a jukebox and liquor.

After our walking tour of Gastown the next day, we were starving and conveniently close by my favorite restaurant in Vancouver-the Water Street Café. Quite the opposite atmosphere from the prior night’s diner, this café had the white table cloth vibe going on and was in a historic gorgeous building. I had been there multiple times when in town on business and always get the same thing-salmon risotto. So delicious but how would their appletini’s taste???

Water Street Café-Sour Puss is the key to an appletini!

Another lovely waitress shared her bartender’s ingredients—vodka, apple sour puss liquor, simple syrup and a drop of lime juice. Now, I’ve never made simple syrup but she suggested a 1/3 raw sugar to 2/3 hot water formula. Even with the syrup, the appletini’s we were tasting were still not as sweet as the ones in Shanghai. The quest for the perfect appletini continued later that day at our hotel because having an appletini at lunch just wasn’t enough.

Patti enjoying the appletini at Water St. Café in Gastown

The bartender at the Marriott Pinnacle was most accommodating to talk us through his appletini creation that included vodka, pineapple juice and fresh lime topped with a slice of apple. Now, he very quietly told us that he prefers apple juice to pineapple juice but the Marriott chain forces him to use pineapple-how dare they stifle his cocktail creativity! He also suggested we could use agave to sweeten it up if we preferred. When I asked him why the appletinis in Shanghai were so very green instead of the light green we were seeing at his bar, he suggested that perhaps they used a tamarin syrup with agave muddled together to “green it up” a little. I appreciated his honesty and sharing of tips.

Now, all appletinis are good (just as there is no bad wine or pie) but the quest must now continue in Seattle. I hear that Canon on Capitol Hill was named the 6^th best bar in the world. Who knew??? I MUST check it out. Also dying to run to the liquor store in the U.S. to see if they have Sour Puss in stock or if that is just a Canadian odd liquor….l’ll be looking for that black mean ass kitty on the bottle and then I’ll know I have the right stuff!

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