It Was If They Had Never Seen Ice Before...

Last Friday, I went to book club. The most amusing discussion topics were not about the book. Various topics were discussed, including a brief discussion on "The Christmas List," which was the book picked for the month. Here are a couple of other discussions we had:

I could not believe my ears when I heard the woman next to me say, "Why do we need a new library? Who wants to pay for a new library? We need a pool!" Keep in mind this comment was made at a book club. It seems strange to hear someone say that at a book club.

I, for one am very excited about a new library. There is already an indoor pool close by. The new library will be bigger. It encourages people to educate themselves, find jobs, borrow books, movies, and music, or connect with friends online (if they don't have a computer). Pools are expensive to maintain. People don't frequent pools as much as libraries, there are fees for public pools, and there is risks of drowning. Why would I want to pay for a new pool, when there is already another close by? I want my money to go toward something that gives back. The library does that.

Another topic was on ice-skating.

The place where we meet has a beautiful pond out back. Since winters are normally pretty mild around here, it is a rare site to see large bodies of water frozen over. I originally come from an area where frozen lakes are frequent, so to me, frozen water is a perfectly normal site for me.

To me, it was quite obvious, just by looking at it, that the pond was not safe enough to go ice skating on. Sure, it was covered in ice, but I could tell just by looking at it, that it was too thin. I guess when the family bought the house, they saw a photo of kids skating on that pond, but in the 5 years they have lived there, it has not frozen since.

Some of the ladies speculated. "How do people that live in those areas with lakes test the ice? There must be some scientific theory!" Another one said, "Well, you cannot skate on it if there is snow on it, because that means it is too warm."

Scientific theory? Snow on top makes it too warm? I tried to interject, being one who has skated on a lake before. I could not fit a word in edgewise. So I decided to stay quiet.

Skating on lakes does have some risks, but there are some basic rules that should be followed:

(As a disclaimer, I am not a expert on checking ice for ice skating, but there are some things that seems pretty obvious to me, that I guess is not to people who never seen or have skated on ice before.)

The temperature should be below freezing. The thickest ice is white. I have only skated on ice that is white, the whole lake was white, but it still needs to be tested before being skated on.

The ice should be no less 4 inches thick (obviously, the thicker the better - you can test this by chopping the ice), since there can be thin spots in the lake, it should be tested in several different areas.

It is best to stay closest to the edge of the ice, usually along the shoreline, that way if you fall in, you can stand up and get out easier.

Make sure you bring some friends or family with you, just in case something goes wrong.

It is also advised by some other websites to bring safety equipment, such as ice poles, ice claws and lifelines (We never went with those things, but it does sound like a good idea).

Be aware of change in conditions, if the weather seems to be getting warmer, or the ice has a light layer of water, it is time to go home.

If ice does have snow on it, it may or may not be too warm too skate on it, but if it is thick enough and cold enough, you can sweep it off with a broom.

Remember, all bodies of water in different areas vary from one another. Rivers are dangerous to skate on because of the running water underneath.

If there is an ice skating rink nearby, it is safer to use that.

The Picute of Dorian Gray - A Book Review

It is August, the 23, 2009 @ 1:48 PM. I finished "The Picture of Dorian Gray" last night. My book club does not discuss this book until October, therefore I am presetting the post date for this blog at that time. I want to write about it now, while it is still fresh in my mind.

(I did write this blog in August, but when I went to the next book club meeting, they decided to post-pone Dorian Gray, so I guess this blog will go up even later than planned, as of now we are reading "The Witch of Blackbird Pond").

I had heard about the book of Dorian Gray a long time ago (as I stated in a previous blog). I originally thought it was a book about a man who kept his photo in a closet, and it ages while he stays young. That is sort of true, but not really.

It is a story of a young man who's portrait is painted. As time goes by, he notices that the portrait changes due to the change in his soul. It is a tragic tale. Most of the characters in the book are pretty shallow and vile. You hope that the main character will learn and change his ways, but will he?

Someone in my book club asked me when I was about half-way through this book what I thought of it. Did I like it? My answer was I think so..., but I honestly did not know whether I liked it or not. I have to say, after reading the book, I am still not really sure if I liked it or not. There was one chapter I thought was a bit overdone. Going on and on, about all the riches he had seen. It was very detailed, but a little too much. I wondered if the whole book was going to go on like that. Luckily, it only went on for one entirely long chapter. A chapter, that I could have skipped most of the pages on. Eventually, it got back on track.

I did think it was a good book. It does make one think. The concept is interesting. Is it likable? I don't know.

My notes after going to book club:

Well, this book stirred up quite a discussion! For one, there were two versions of the book, the original was shorter, and I guess more controversial. The second version, which I read, was tamed down. I cannot say, since I only read the second version (most of us in book club did). One lady apologized for suggesting the book, another person hated the book, another person loved the book! The book does have a lot to think about. I wound up having to present the book (due to changes in the book club), and that went well. I did find it interesting that we had our meeting on Friday the 13th, since the book is a horror novel.

Even though it may not have been one of my favorite books, I still think it had a good concept, and it teaches how one should not be so self absorbed that it makes everyone, including themselves, miserable.

Only On Halloween...

Can you be seated by a black cat, served by a homeless person, as you watch "The Count" from Sesame Street serve drinks to the other tables around, and various other costumes walk by, like the Wicked Witch of the East... or West.... not sure which one... (the one crushed by the house?) at The Old Spaghetti Factory in Tacoma. A fun lunch for today.

My New Car!

Okay... so it is not the beautiful Lamborghini, as seen above, which I saw outside of work one day. I really do like the car above, but I needed something a little more practical than that. ...and in my price range?

My mind was pretty much set on a Toyota Corolla. I even looked around at a local dealer about 3 months ago. Nothing really felt, like: "This is it!" I was worried I was going to have to settle.

My friend, Trina said she was looking into a Toyota Corolla as well, and we decided to go car shopping together. She said the 2009 cars were about the same price as some of the used ones I had been looking at. That sounded like a deal.

She wound up going before me, and unfortunately, they had no more 2009 cars. She got a nice, new 2010 car, at a higher price. Then, she went with me, while I decided on something different. Her advice was very helpful, and having her there, with me, made the process a whole lot easier.

I wrote in a previous blog about how I paid a significant amount of money back to my grandfather, and in return, he put a significant down payment on my last car that I had: A 17 year-old car, that I owned for 15 years. I have to admit... despite all it's problems (in latter years), especially in winter, I really loved the car.

• My old car leaked, so much that I had a portable swimming pool riding around the spare tire.

• It froze inside and out during winter, making it nearly impossible to get into it, until later in the day (scraping the inside of my sharply sloping window while sitting inside the car, was no picnic either).

• The horn blared, without me touching it.... (I had to get that removed).

• The radio went out. That was long after I got a tape stuck in the tape player.

• Sometimes in the summer the key would not turn in the ignition, but it always ran well. I never had trouble with that.

So, fortunately, I was able to sell it. Amazing. I was going to donate it to charity, but someone decided to buy it from me. I am happy, because I think even though I am not giving it to charity, it is going to someone who might appreciate it, instead of being turned into scrap metal.

I really hope it does not give the new owner too much grief. It was very comfortable to sit in - I was noticing as I drove home from work on Friday, but I knew it was time to say, "goodbye."

Purchasing a car has been a totally new experience for me. Thanks to some of my friends and family, bits and pieces of advice, plus TONS of research. It all helped me find the exact car I wanted for the price I was willing to pay. I hate the fact that I am in debt again. I don't like it. I have managed to avoid it most of my life, but I suppose, sometimes it is unavoidable. Maybe even worth it.

So, here is my new 2007 Honda Civic. It looks just like the newer cars at the place I work at (for the drivers there, except without the decals). Since I used to be a driver, I am somewhat familiar with this car (though I never got one of the newer ones - only got to borrow for special deliveries!). I am excited, and a little overwhelmed. It is the nicest car I have ever had.

Nanaimo Squares

Last night, I made Nanaimo Squares for the first time. I have had them several times before, just never made them. I also found out just last night, that Nanaimo is a city in British Columbia, Canada that claims the cookie originated there. Anyway, after the cookies were all assembled, I found out that I did not quite make them right. The recipe I have seems poorly written. I am not sure if I got the recipe from my mom (who just happens to be Canadian), or somewhere else. All the recipes online are slightly different and vary. The recipe did not make sense to me until after I was finished - but here it is, the way it was written:

Nanaimo Squares

Melt over hot water:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
5 T cocoa
1 t. vanilla

Cool slightly and add:
one egg, beaten

Mix:
2 cups crushed graham crackers
One cup shredded cocoanut
2 cups chopped walnuts

Combine with other ingredients and press
Into 9 x 9" pan. Cover with Icing mixture.

2 cups icing sugar:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
2 T custard powder

Chill. Cover with 4 squares chocolate
(1/2 semi sweet and 1/2 bitter) melted
With 1 T butter

Where I went wrong, was in the amount of the icing sugar. It says "2 cups of icing sugar," then gives the ingredients below. What I did not realize, as I was too busy putting the ingredients together, is that the ingredients listed below does not make "2 cups!" I guess I should have known, since it only lists a 1/2 cup of butter (which is a heck of a lot of butter anyway).

What I don't understand is why wouldn't they say the amount you need to make the 2 cups of icing sugar, or at the very least say, "you need 2 cups of this, but you will have to quadruple the recipe!" I guess it is because when you get to that part, you realize how much butter you are consuming. You might as well just eat 4 sticks of butter! With the addition of the other butter in the crust, it would be less butter to consume!

Anyways, if you make this recipe, the right way, the icing sugar alone to make "2 cups" will probably take you 4 sticks of butter. You will need more for the crust and the chocolate topping. If you don't want to use that many sticks of butter, just use one for the icing sugar. Then your recipe will turn out exactly like mine did. Still pretty good, but not quite the same as what I have eaten before. Have some milk on hand. These are pretty rich.

Afterthought notes: After a discussion on the ingredients for this recipe, I realized that you don't need 4 sticks of butter, or that you need to quadruple the recipe. The recipe reads "icing sugar" and has a colon afterwards. That is wrong. It is actually part of the ingredients for the icing mixture. It should read "icing sugar" without the colon. Which is powdered sugar.

Just in case some of the other ingredients, instructions are hard to understand, here is a key to some of it:

icing sugar = powdered sugar
custard powder = dry pudding (most use vanilla)
T = Tablespoons

Also you need to chill each layer before adding the next one. You have the crust, cool slightly before adding the "icing mixture" (cool for at least an hour). Then add the hard chocolate top.

Hope your squares turn out right the first time!

Summer Tunes

Summer is coming to an end fairly soon, but here are a few tunes I have been enjoying:

"Fireflies" by Owl City. The song is fun and upbeat, with quirky lyrics. It cheers me up just hearing it. The lead singer, Adam Young has been compared numerous times to Ben Gibbard (lead singer of "Death Cab for Cutie" and "The Postal Service"). The cover has a photo of the "Burj Al Arab," which is the most expensive hotel in Dubai, Saudi Arabia. It has an outdoor tennis court towards the very top of it! See that little piece sticking out at the top? That is it! I am not sure I would want to play tennis that high up, but it does look cool.

"Turn Me Off" by Audrye Sessions. This song really seems to move. It has a 70's vibe to it, which I like. It makes me want to dance.

"Show Me What I'm Looking For" by Carolina Liar. When I first heard this song, I thought it was by Keane. I really liked it, as well as the cover. Even after I found out the song was done by Carolina Liar, I would sometimes hear the song and still think it was Keane. I really like how the lead singer belts out the lyrics. It is a fun song to sing to. They are using it for previews to "The Time Traveler's Wife." I would like to see that movie. I wonder if it's good?

They Seek Him Here, They Seek Him There...

I just finished reading "The Scarlet Pimpernel" by Baroness Emmuska Orczy last night. In a previous blog, I wrote that I had read this book before, and I found it "dreadfully dull." I have since changed my mind, upon reading it for the second time, several years later.

I first saw the movie, ages ago while visiting some of my relatives one evening. Originally, it was a "made for T.V. movie," but they had it on VHS. Shortly after seeing the movie at their house, I bought my own copy of the movie, and read the book. I was disappointed in the book at that time. I guess I must have expected the book to be more like the movie.

The movie is quite humorous, and focuses more on the romance. The book has some subtle humor (which I did not even notice before), and focuses more on the mystery. Seeing the movie first, took all the mystery out of the book, taking away from the suspense.

The first time I read the book, this was the cover of the copy I borrowed. Two men fighting with swords, with a lady in the background. There are no sword fights whatsoever in the book. So, this cover baffles me. It is quite hilarious, really.

The movie has a sword fight scene. The book does not. Perhaps the illustrator never read the book. I guess that is one reason not to judge a book by it's cover-- it can be misleading.

Anyway, I realized after reading the book, a second time, without watching the movie first to refresh my memory of it, I really enjoyed it. I still love the movie too. I would suggest reading the book first, because it is more suspenseful that way. Just don't expect the movie to play out the same, or most of the characters to even play the same roles, really. The concept is still there, but the storyline is quite different.

As of now, I would recommend both of the book as well as the movie. I still love the movie. The actor, Anthony Andrews is superb is his role. I cannot think of anyone better to play the part. He is very humorous, and really brings the character to life. Jane Seymore is lovely.

I was worried that maybe the book this time would have ruined the movie, but it didn't. I anxiously woke up this morning to see how the two compare. As much as I remember the movie, I forgot enough of it to enjoy it again. There are other movies of "The Scarlet Pimpernel," but I have not seen them. Perhaps one day I will.

My Life According to ...

I saw this posted on my friend Melissa's blog. It seemed kind of fun and challenging, so I decided to try it out. I am not tagging anyone, but if you happen to read it, and decide to fill one out yourself, let me know - and which site you chose to post it on. I would love to see your answers as well.

Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Pass it on to 15 people you like and include me. You can't use the band I used. Try not to repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think! Re-post as "my life according to (band name)."

Pick your Artist:
Daryl Hall & John Oates










Are you a male or female:
Lady Rain

Describe yourself:
Do What You Want, Be What You Are

How do you feel:
Friday Let Me Down

Describe where you currently live:
Everyday’s a Lovely Day

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
Everywhere I Look

Your favorite form of transportation:
Bigger Than Both of Us

Your best friend is:
Is It a Star

You and your best friends are:
Back Together Again

Your favorite color is:
Romeo Is Bleeding

What's the weather like:
Marigold Sky

Favorite time of day:
Talking All Night

If your life was a TV show, what would it be called:
I Ain’t Gonna Take It This Time

What is life to you:
Change of Season

Your relationships:
Sometimes a Mind Changes

Your last relationship:
Only Love

Your fear:
Falling

What is the best advice you can give:
Don’t Hold Back Your Love

If you could change your name, you would change it to:
Camellia

Thought for the Day:
Time Won’t Pass Me By

How I would like to die:
I Don’t Think So

My soul's present condition:
I Don’t Wanna to Lose You

My motto:
Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid

So...I Joined a Book Club

I have never considered myself a big reader, until maybe about now. As I am currently reading 4 books at the moment. More like, 3, because I keep putting one down, whenever I can find something better to read or do.

I once heard at one time that the average person reads 3 books a year. I would say I used to be average, in that sense. This year, however, I would say I have broken my record.

I think partly, it might have been the influence of my friend, Brianne, that got me started on my consistent reading for books. She would always be reading a book during her lunchtime. She told me she would never read her books at home, just at work, during breaks, but she read every single day (I did too, but it was just the comics page, and if it wasn’t there - then, oh well.)

It got to the point, however, that I would have no comics to read (either because someone else was reading them, or they just happened to disappear when I wanted them). So I started taking books just in case the comics section did not show up. I started reading every day. Even if it was for only 15 minutes or less.

A few months ago, some ladies in my church decided to form a book club. It meets during the day once a month, so it works perfectly for my nighttime schedule. I was invited to come during their 2nd book since starting. The book was “Little Women.” By the time I was asked, it was too late to read the book, which I never read before. I had seen the movie years ago, however. I have forgotten much of it, so I was unable to add much to the conversation, if anything.

So, the first book I read for book club was “Plain and Simple” by Sue Bender. The book, features the Author/Psychologist/Artist who decides to live with the Amish for awhile to see what living as an Amish person is really like. Personally, I thought the author herself was a little strange, but it was interesting to see how the Amish believe and live.

The next book, is my one of my all time favorites, “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. I had already read the book a couple of years ago for the first time after wanting to read it for years. I decided to borrow the movie, first, since I never watched it Then read the book a second time. Both the movie and the book were excellent.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” is about prejudice. Not just against race, but against other types of people as well. It is done through a child’s eyes, who are untainted through innocence. If I could recommend any classic book, it would be this one. It has humor, it makes you think, it is very well written. The father, Atticus, is a very smart man and genuinely good person. People should be more like Atticus. Some people in my book club did not understand why the book was so critically acclaimed, but after a really good discussion, I think they understood. It is a good book. You should read it. Then rent/borrow the movie after.

The third book was “The Goose Girl” by Shannon Hale.

I have always liked fairy-tales. This one is a little different -- not one I have heard before. It had more violence than I expected, but it had suspense, and humor. It was hard for me to put the book down. I really enjoyed this book. I might not recommend it for children, since it appears that it is more geared towards young adults.

The last book I have read for my book club is “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas. Someone in our club started reading it before it was assigned, and seeing it, well… it overwhelmed me. It was so many pages! A month to read 1,276 pages, CXVII chapters (yes, they are in Roman numerals) during July. A very busy month for me, as I have many summer activities I like to do during that month. I really wasn’t sure I could do it.

I also had borrowed my mom’s third “Twilight” book for the summer, “Eclipse,” and a friend sent me a novel she is trying to publish for me to read and give feedback. Let alone, I just started “The Grapes of Wrath” which I had been planning to read forever, but just hadn’t.

I decided to dedicate most of my free time to “The Count of Monte Cristo” as much as I could. Yet, I would not sacrifice my fun summer activities for it. I also borrowed the movie, the one with James (Jim) Caviezel, to maybe help me out a little. It hardly resembled the book at all. You could read or watch either one first, just don’t expect either to be alike. There about as good as each other, if you can separate the two, I suppose. There were times in the book, however, that seemed long, and drawn out. I just wanted it to get to the point. At least, in about two hours time, the movie is over. I cannot say the same for the book.

One of my friends actually asked me, “Isn’t (reading that book) like putting a gun to your head?” Ha ha. No. I enjoyed it more than that. Some parts I found very interesting, to the point I did not want to put it down. The style definitely took some time to get used to, since there were many different stories going on in one book, with the same character being addressed different constantly (by their first name, their last name, or some other title). I am glad that I read it. It is possible I will read it again someday, but not right away, and not in one month, especially one that is extremely busy for me. It almost felt too much like a school assignment that way.

The next book we are supposed to read is “The Scarlet Pimpernel” by Emmuska Orczy. I have read this book before. Normally, I am open-minded when it comes to comparing books to movies, but when I read this particular book, after seeing the movie, I found it dreadfully dull.

The movie, the one with Jane Seymour in it, has a lot of humor in it, where the book does not. I really liked the movie, and perhaps because I had seen it first, it might have ruined the book. The reason why I wanted to read the book in the first place, was because I had seen the movie. Now, after several years, I have the opportunity to read this book again. I am trying to go in with an open mind. It has been a long time since I have seen the movie, but I still remember it quite well. However, I will not watch it again till I attempt to finish this book a second time. Wish me luck.

Since “The Scarlet Pimpernel” has not been available at the library yet, I am reading the next book, “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde I have heard about this book for years, and am a little curious about it. I am very relieved that it is much shorter than “The Count of Monte Cristo.” Almost every book now seems shorter than “The Count of Monte Cristo.” I think I might be a faster reader because of it… or maybe just a more patient one.

Artfair 2009 - An Amazing Day!

Familiar by Justine Hillgrove www.impsandmonsters.com

I have started making it one of my yearly traditions to go to the Bellevue Art Museum's "ArtsFair" during the month of July. This year, I was not planning on buying anything, except maybe a Nutella crepe, that I tried last year from one of the food vendors. I wound up buying 3 books (2 from Barnes & Noble near by), and 2 art prints, a Nutella crepe, a peach-mango smoothie, and a BBQ chicken sandwich. The art was great, the music was enjoyable, the food was excellent.

It seems like the exhibition grows bigger and bigger every year! I was really impressed by the artwork this year. I think it was a better show than the last one, and there were some pretty cool things at the last one, too. Some of the same exhibitors were there from last year. Some of the new ones, brought fresh ideas and inspiration.

Metal art sculpture seems to be the most popular of the styles this year. One of my favorite ones had some metal sculptured dresses on hangers and some cool metal-sculpted guitars in a style that reminded me of Cubism:

Kari Von Wening - Jan Bush "Dusty Chaps"

Here are a couple of other fun/interesting artist's work I saw this year:

http://www.jrodart.com/ the original art of Jarrod Eastman

Toys by Larry Stephenson www.lstephenson.com

The artwork is displayed underneath the parking garage, out on the sidewalks and streets around the Bellevue Square Mall. The Bellevue Art Museum is free to the public for the days of the event. Even inside, they had a interesting display of origami designs.

I was intrigued by the work Bruce Metcalf inside the museum. They allowed the artist to draw huge chalk and maybe charcoal? figures on the wall to help with display of his little metal creations, which were quirky and fun:

"Two Doves In a Private Garden" by Bruce Metcalf

The one artist’s work, I could not resist this year, was done by Justin Hillgrove. He has some really funny, interesting tributes and characters. I really liked his “Alice In Wonderland” series. I could only afford one print and a postcard print of a cat with bat wings (as shown on top).

Down the Rabbit Hole by Justin Hillgrove http://www.impsandmonsters.com/

It was definitely one of the hottest days we have had in the Seattle area so far this year (or seemed to be). Wow. The smoothie I drank really helped keep the heat down. I also checked around the mall, the Museum, and Barnes & Noble (of course) to cool down and shop. I spent more than I really should have, but all and all, it was an excellent day!

The Bite of Seattle 2009!

This is what they served at "The Alley" at The Bite on Friday:


Ah... The Bite of Seattle, one of my favorite July activities, rain or shine. This weekend it was shine. Nice, warm weather. Friday morning was good. I wish I could have stayed there longer that day, but I had to work. So I also went today!
The main reason I go, and have for so many years, is because of the small section of The Bite, called "The Alley." You get reasonable size small portions of food from a variety of restaurants, for a reasonable price (This year it was $10 for 7 items). It is a whole plate of food, which is plenty for a meal.
I usually go online ahead of time to browse the menu. I felt Friday looked best. Today the menu was about the same, but they changed two items. Tomorrow, only one item will remain the same, and the rest will change, it would be nice to try them too, but I have had my fill.
These are the items I was given samples of:
Wood Grilled Painted Hills Beef Rib Roast Steak from Dehila Lounge: (Served with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Chimichurri Relish.) This was probably my favorite dish of the seven. Tom Douglas usually features Dehila Lounge at The Bite, and I have always enjoyed what they have served. It was presented beautifully, and tasted excellent.
Thai Seafood Salad from Seastar: (Calamari, Shrimp and Octopus with sweet white onion, Kaffir lime, mint, cilantro and peanuts in a spicy Thai sweet-n-sour dressing.) This was the most exotic of all the samples given. Very chewy. Had some heat to it, maybe more than some people could handle, because I noticed it was toned down a bit today.
Camarones Ahogados from Cellars Restaurant & Lounge : (Prawns in a cilantro-lime and serrano pepper sauce over crostino topped with salsa criolla.) This had some nice flavors too it. You have to pull off the tails, which always kind of annoy me a little, but it does make it look better presented that way, which is why I am sure they do that.
Sicilian Sailors Bruschetta from Seattle’s Little Italy: (Peasant Bread topped with tuna, olives, capers, celery, tomato, extra virgin olive oil, oregano and basil.) A nice way to present tuna salad.
Lamb Dolmas from Andaluca: (Lamb, basmati rice, dill, pine nuts, lemon olive oil sabayon.) I think this had grape leaves wrapped around it, though it is not in the description. I have had two previous items wrapped in grape leaves, and I did not like them at all, so I was leery of this item. However, I think it really depends what is put in them, because the taste complimented their wrappings. I think grape leaves might also be an acquired taste.
Mini Chicken Pot Pies from Daily Grill: These were presented well, and tasted real yummy. Might have tied for first against the rib roast steak.
Butterscotch Sundae from PEARL: (Madagascar vanilla ice cream and housemade pecan brittle) Very tasty treat that had to be eaten close to first because of the heat, but nice, rich flavors, and the pecan brittle was the best! Yumm!
Outside "The Alley" there are many other vendors to choose from. There is something for everyone. There is the bizzarre, like "Fried Macaroni & Cheese." There is the sweet stuff, like funnel cakes with whipped cream & fruit, Shishkaberries, and "Red Velvet Cupcakes" which I found today, and just had to try! (the Red Velvet cake, that is - a little crumbly, but excellent taste). There are samples of beverages, like Ocean Spray's "Cranberry Pomegranate," very refreshing. The list goes on and on. If you are not up to any of these items, there is a Subway, a Starbucks, and some other vendors in the Seattle Center.
It is still going on tomorrow if you are looking for something to do. So go out there! And take a bite!

Primavera Anticipada

This is such a beautiful song and video. Laura Pausini is an Italian artist, and James Blunt, a British artist (<--British? I did not know that!), is also featured on this video. I think their voices blend well together. This is the Spanish version. There is an Italian version as well. I probably like this one best, because I heard it first. I love trying to sing the Spanish lyrics, even though I honestly don't know how to properly pronounce the words, having never learned Spanish! Makes me want to learn, though!

The Museum of Flight!

This past weekend, I treated my dad and I to see the "Museum of Flight." We have always wanted to go see it. It is a great collection of airplanes and spacecraft from the beginning of aviation, to recent.

A couple of interesting attractions are the Lunar Rover, and the Aerocar III.

One thing I did not realize about the Lunar Rover, is that it has wire-mesh tires! I thought for some reason that they would be regular tires, like on a regular car. Then someone pointed out that regular tires would blow-up, I then realized, that that makes sense. Duh...

When I first saw the Aerocar, I honestly thought it was a joke.

My dad reassured me that it wasn't. This is kind of something you might see in an old James Bond movie. There is even footage of the thing flying. At one time they advertised it as "A Plane in Every Garage." It is a car, that flies. The wings can be folded down, and taken off, so it can be driven like a regular car... so weird.

There are several other cool airplanes and things I could describe, but you should really see it for yourself. I have a ton of photos, but they really do not do the museum justice.

If you want to check out the museum, make sure you give yourself plenty of time. We got there almost 3 hours before closing time, and we thought we had seen everything, but found out about 15 minutes before the museum closed, that there were a few things we missed! Our feet were really tired by then anyway, so we decided to go home.

Overall, we had a great time, and I would like to go back and look around some more.

Scooby Snacks, Anyone?

I was a little amused when I went to a burger joint this weekend, and on the menu it had "Scooby Snacks" listed. I took this with my cell phone, so the quality is not too good, but underneath it says that their "Scooby Snacks" are mini corn dogs with mustard. :D

I wound up getting soup and a hamburger. "The Tomato Bisque Soup" is excellent, by the way, it reminds me of how 4B's restaurant used to make it, but with a few more ingredients.

You can get these, and other food items at The Raleigh Hills Pub, in Portland, Oregon.

Free Comics Are Cool

I first discovered about "Free Comic Book Day" a few years ago while I was sitting in Twede's Cafe in North Bend (you know, that is the one that was featured in the T.V. series, "Twin Peaks?").

Inside that cafe, they have little books, and sometimes comic books to read while you wait for your food (I recommend their cherry pie a la mode, it is very good). I noticed on the comic book I was reading that it said "Free Comic Book Day" on it. Hmm... I never heard of it. Then I read on some one's blog last year (or the year before) when it was, but I had missed it.

I found out this morning that today was the day. So I drove out to one of the participating stores and was able to pick up a few ones that I liked from the "free" table. I feel like I picked up a nice variety. I really like DC Kids "Tiny Titans." It's funny. It's cute. Very kid friendly. It was actually a "Tiny Titans" comic that I read in Twede's. So it brought back memories. This one was a different issue though.

Another comic book I picked up was done in Manga, by Shonen Jump called "Karakuridôji Ultimo." It was made to be read from the back to the front. The book did not finish the story though. It said I could read the rest online, and I get the feeling it is a continuing series. Famous comic book writer, Stan Lee contributed to the original concept of this book, while Hiroyuki Takei worked on the story and art. It was pretty interesting.

Another one, had a flip cover. One side of it really stood out. It had in big, bold letters, "FREE COMIC BOOK DAY," with a background in red (one of my favorite colors), and a bunch of "Emily the Strange" characters on the bottom of it (as well as some other comic characters on top), which I think is really neat.

The last comic book I picked up has tips on how to draw comic books. It is called "Impact University." It is really cool as well. It had some big names from the comic book industry share a tip or two on how to create your own comic. Very nice.

For more information on "Free Comic Book Day," you can go to this site: http://www.freecomicbookday.com

Taj, the Tiger, Turns Two

It is hard to believe that it has only been two years since I first saw the two tigers, at Issaquah's Cougar Mountain Zoo. They arrived at the zoo as baby tigers, and they sure do grow up fast!

On Easter weekend, the zoo celebrated the birthday of the first born tiger, Taj, a Golden Bengal Tiger (pictured above and below).

The second tiger, is Almos. He is a Royal White Bangel Tiger, which I believe will be celebrating his birthday sometime this May.

Anyway, it looked like both tigers had fun celebrating Taj's birthday. I know the kids standing close to me did. It was pretty funny to hear them talking to the tigers through the glass, as the tigers ran around, tore open their "presents" which were boxes with paint (one in a boxy-zebra shape), and ate their "birthday cakes" made of what looked like steak and feathers (the feathers were only a garnish).

Mini Doughnuts - Fresh & Piping Hot

Every once in awhile, I get the chance to go to Pike Place Market in Seattle. People line up to get these little doughnuts, made right where you can see them being made. You can get them plain, with cinnamon or sugar (my favorite), or with with powdered sugar (not shown - I guess they ran out). They taste great either hot or cold, but I like them fresh from the fryer. Yumm!!!

Gordon Lightfoot

I have been listening to this song quite a bit lately. The lyrics are so beautifully written, and in this performance, the emotions of the song are captured very well.

If You Could Read My Mind - Gordon Lightfoot - 1979

Broadway Musicals (featuring "The Lion King")

I had the opportunity to see the Broadway Musical of “The Lion King” this weekend. So far, I have seen three Broadway musicals. I saw “Dreamgirls” on Broadway in New York, when I was in Jr. High (though I wanted to see “Cats” instead). I saw “Les Misérables” in Spokane with a church group of mine, and this last one, I saw at the Paramount in Seattle.

When I saw “Dreamgirls” for the first time, I knew nothing about it. I was excited to see a play that was actually playing on Broadway, but I was disappointed that the person in charge of our tour group chose “Dreamgirls” over “Cats.” The theater was pretty though. We all dressed up, because in New York, that is what you do. I really liked the dress I wore to it.

The play, as a Jr. High student, didn’t really excite me much. Oh sure, the singing was excellent, but the plot at the time kind of bored me, the costumes seemed like regular-people clothes, and the sets were just backdrops of color. I have been thinking about renting the movie lately though, since I don’t really remember much more than that. I think I might appreciate it more now.

The second play, “Les Misérables” was way more exciting to me. I went with a group of single adults from my church, we dressed a little more casual, but still in skirts in dresses. I remember some people being a little more formal, but I don’t remember anyone being more casual than what we were. The theater building in Spokane was nothing exciting. We sat far away, but that didn’t seem to matter, in fact it was a good spot to sit, because the sets were spectacular! The costumes were great, as they suited the time period, and I love the music from it. One of my friends thinks the music is kind of repetitive, which annoys him, but that didn’t bother me. I thought it was an excellent musical, and I highly recommend it.

So finally, after years of waiting to go see “The Lion King,” I finally decided to get tickets! I was given some money for Christmas, and instead of saving it towards a different car, I decided I wanted this more. I still need to decide what I really want in a car anyway.

The Paramount in Seattle is a very pretty building on the inside, very ornate. My friend and I were in the lobby, up one flight, and decided to take some photos. Immediately, two of the people downstairs shouted, “NO PHOTOS IN THE THEATRE, PUT YOUR CAMERAS AWAY!!!” The lady shouted it twice, even though both of us were putting our cameras away as soon as she said it. I just replied, “Okay!” in a tone that was like, “I’m sorry, I did not know…”

I can understand why no photos would be allowed during the performance or even in the seating area, but I don’t understand why they wouldn’t let people take photos of the beautiful architecture inside. My friend made some comment “you think we were spray-painting the walls!” to me. But I digress….

In Seattle at a play, you can basically wear anything to it, nobody really seems to care. There were some people who dressed up, and some who wore jeans, one girl even wore those trendy ripped jeans. So pretty much anything goes. I wore slacks, a nice blouse, and some pretty earrings to dress my outfit up a little. It was freezing outside, and we decided to look around a bit before heading into the theater.

When we were finally seated, it was pretty far back. Almost the very back. Luckily, we brought our binoculars with us. If you go to “The Lion King” and you sit towards the back, I highly suggest you do this. The costumes are spectacular and very detailed, but it is kind of hard to see the great details when you are that far away. I also suggest not sitting too close, because it is also nice to see everything that is going on on stage. The costumes really are great though, very unique. The musical follows the original Disney movie in some ways, but it changes it enough to make it interesting. Expect to hear some new great songs, and some different arrangements. The young Simba and Nala, I especially liked. The boy who plays young Simba is very talented. The older Simba and Nala are great too. A female plays Rafiki, her character was very humorous, and she has an outstanding voice. It was all just so beautiful.

After the show, there were many positive comments, one little girl (I think she may have been nine), thought it was “the best time ever.” At least I think that is what she said…

All in all, it is a great show. If it comes to a city near you, you should check it out, when you get the chance.

Sister Send-Off

Early this morning, my sister headed for Japan. She is going to be living there for awhile. Her husband has been over there for a few months settling in, so both of them are quite excited to see each other again. I am really going to miss her though! On her last day in the states, we went to see a movie, and then I prepared us a delicious fondue for dinner. So - good luck Kim! Hope you find everything okay, and enjoy your time in Japan! Email me when you get there, okay?

Adele and Oren Lavie

A few weeks ago I downloaded the music video: "Her Morning Elegance" by Oren Lavie from iTunes. I fell in love with it immediately. It reminded me of a video that I had seen by Adele, called Chasing Pavements about a year ago, which I also liked very much.

I Think My Car Is Out to Get Me

I like my car. I have had it forever. My grandfather decided to help purchase it for me, as a gift, when I returned a large sum of money that I borrowed from him while I was going to school. He is gone now, but the car still remains.

It has been running well, but it has developed some terrible leaking problems, which happens every time it rains, which is often. It freezes shut when it gets really cold outside. The radio just went out during the month of October. All those things I have been able to tolerate.

New Year's Eve day, I was on my way to work. I heard this honking noise. I was looking around to see who it was, and it was me! I thought maybe I must have accidentally touched the horn or something, and it stuck. So I tapped the horn, and the noise went away. Minor embarrassment, it happens to everybody, right?

Then I arrive at work. I park right next to the building and shut the engine off. As soon as I lock and shut the door it wails! I quickly unlock the car to see if the horn is stuck again, but it isn't. I tried to figure out what to do to stop the noise, but I was very clueless. Someone stuck their head out the door. I said, "Can you help me? I can't shut it off?" He tried, but was not sure what to do, so he went inside to get more help.

Several people would peer out the door, to see what was going on, but none offered their help (perhaps they already knew I was getting some, or were clueless themselves). Finally, the main manger helped stop the noise by taking one of the lines off of the battery. They could not figure out how to disable the horn completely, though.

Someone got in my car and shook the steering wheel, and when the battery was hooked up again, it did not start up again. Thank goodness. The whole building heard my car honking, and I am sure some nearby businesses did as well. ...so it was pretty embarrassing.

I did NOT want to drive my car home, but I had to. So my boss gave me a wrench "just in case" it starting wailing again. So, I guess it is probably time to get a different car. I will miss this one. Sure, it is not in the condition it was in before. I used to wash it every week when I first got it, and the stereo was awesome.

However, I just cannot live with a car that is just going to scream every time I take it somewhere. If I wanted that, I could borrow some one's kids! Right? Just kidding. I guess I need to go car shopping.