Because It Is Not Every Day You See a Giant Hot Dog on Wheels...

The first time I saw the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile was while I was driving past the University Hospital in the U-District of Seattle. We were both driving in opposite directions at the time, and I was working, so I did not have an opportunity to take any photos.

Stockings hung by the makeshift chimney with care upon entering the mobile.  Blurry because I only had my iPod to take photos, and I was in a hurry so I may not have focused right.

Imagine my surprise, when a couple of years later, I see the unusual vehicle in the Bothell parking lot!  I immediately had to check it out.  There were about two or three people standing outside the vehicle to answer questions and hand out little Oscar Meyer whistles. 

Above: Oscar Meyer Weinermobile Whistle (Among my Fisher-Price Hallmark Ornaments, I think it fits well among them, don't you?)

I asked if I could take some photos, and I was told I could take as many as I would like.  I asked if I could go inside, and was told to "Go right ahead!"

The vehicle I saw only sits about 6-8 people.  It was roped off towards the back, so I could not go all the way to the front, but I could still see everything just fine.  It was all decked out for the holidays, both inside and out, which made it even more special.  I am so glad I got a chance to really see it!

You Make a Great Musical, Charlie Brown!

Earlier, in month of November, I traveled over to my hometown to go see "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown."  I have always wanted to see the musical since I first heard of it a few years ago.  Apparently, this particular musical has been around since 1968, which I had not realized.

 I just happened to ask my friend Julie what has she has been doing for awhile, and she said she was playing piano for this musical, "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown."

I had missed an opportunity to see the production of the musical awhile back, when someone in my church had played Charlie Brown at a local high school here.  I am sure he was perfect for the role, too.  I really felt like I missed out, so I did not want to miss seeing the musical again, despite the fact that it was a long drive, I didn't know any of the students cast in the show.

My friend, who is an excellent pianist, said that the music was quite challenging to play.  There are many different styles, and one song is particularly fast-paced.

The musical was real fun.  Before the play, images of the Peanuts gang showed on a screen just above the stage. 

The sets were beautifully done, and colorful.  The costumes were great.  I especially enjoyed the Snoopy costume.  Normally, the play has a type of hood with ears for the Snoopy character, but since Snoopy was being played by a girl, she had her hair up into short pigtails, which actually looked more like dog ears.  It made the costume more convincing, because it was part of the young actress herself, looking less like just a person in a dog costume.

The acting was very good, too.  I really think all the students did well on that.  My mom complained that the girl who played Lucy did not have black hair, but there was a disclaimer at the beginning of the program that the actors won't necessarily look like the original characters.  I thought her acting skills held up to make her look like Lucy anyway.

The actress who played Sally seemed to steal the show.  For one, she sounded just like the cartoon character does!  She also had some of the best lines.

It is truly unfortunate that I neglected to bring my camera with me.  My other device that I often use as a back-up, is sadly not holding a charge well.  Visually, I don't think the play could be much better.  I have looked up other plays, and they do a good job, but this one really got my attention - with the bright colored sets, and the fun props.

My only small complaint of the entire show was that many of the singers performances sounded a bit flat.  However, it was not enough to keep me from enjoying the musical.  Overall, it was a good time.

The next day, I decided to look up the music online for "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown."  If you have Amazon Prime, you can listen to the "New Broadway Cast Recording 1999)" album for free.  Kristen Chenoweth sings the part of Sally in it.  She does a great job, along with the rest of the cast.  It was enjoyable to listen to a different version of the play, while still visualizing the play I had seen already in my head.  I am really glad I was able to see the play in person, first.  There is a lot more to this musical than just music!

Once I returned home, I found out some more exciting news about the Peanuts gang.  Peanuts is going to hit the movie theaters in 3D!  I am really excited about this.  Unfortunately, It is going to be a whole year before it comes out.  Scheduled to hit theaters not this Christmas, but NEXT Christmas in the year of 2015.  It is a long time from now, but I think it will be worth the wait.  

Exciting Things

Some exciting things have been happening the past few months.  I started to grow some flowers in April.  Bill Watterson collaborated with Stephan Pastis in June for one week on his comic strip, "Pearls Before Swine."  Sailor Moon has been redone into a new series, and is available to watch online on Hulu.  The Wonder Years has finally come out on DVD!

Back in April, my mom gave me some seedlings that came in three Easter egg shaped planters.  On the bottom, it said what each plant would grow into.Three eggs that contained soil, and different seeds per egg: impatiens, marigold, and a snapdragon.

Being the brown thumb that I am, I was a little nervous about starting the flowers, and at first, I did not know how to start them, because the directions were not visible.  Each egg was wrapped tightly in plastic.  After a few weeks, I decided to tear off the plastic, and figure the thing out.  There were some real basic instructions, folded on a little circular foldout on the bottom.  I followed what few instructions there were, and hoped for the best.

After maybe a week, some little sprouts came out of each eggshell.  I kept religiously watering them, with just a bit of water each day.  I was worried when I had a long weekend and I was going to head out of town.  I watered them pretty thoroughly, but worried that they would die by the time I got back.  When I got home, each plant appeared wilted, but not dead.  I then gave them more water, and they sprung back to life.  I have continued to take care of them, and they have done so well, that I have had to re-pot them twice already.  Every day I look at them, wondering if I am doing okay.  It is pretty exciting every time I see growth or a little progress in each one.

The snapdragon is the most difficult one because it grows tall, without enough support to hold itself up.  I had to use a couple of chopsticks to keep it standing and healthy.  The marigold is doing well, it has some definite buds starting to form.  The impatiens are growing extremely fast, and has no sign of flowers whatsoever.  It seems like it needs re-potting again, but I have already re-potted it twice, so I don't really want to.  I hope my stubbornness does not cause my plant trouble.  I really enjoy looking at them every day.

 ***************************

It had been a tremendously rough few weeks, ending with a trip to the hospital, when a friend sent me a link to an article Stephan Pastis wrote.  In the article, Pastis wrote that Bill Watterson had secretly been collaborating with him, on a week-long "Pearls Before Swine" feature.  Bill Watterson did not want his name revealed before the strip had fully run.

"Pearls Before Swine" by Stephan Pastis, and "The Norm" by Michael Jantze, were the two main comic strips I started reading avidly after Bill Watterson retired from "Calvin & Hobbes," so to hear the news of a Pastis/Watterson collaboration was a real treat for me.  I looked at each panel in marvel, just thinking how great it was to see Bill Watterson's artwork again.  Watterson worked in a slightly different style, making it less obvious to the readers that it was indeed his work.  It was interesting what some of the comments below had to say about the strip that week, before knowing about Watterson's involvement in the strip.  Some comments thought that Stephan Pastis' drawing had improved, and they liked the change.  Some hated the fact that it changed at all, and why was he trying to ruin the original strip?  Some guessed that it was Watterson that worked on the strip.  Some pointed out why they thought it was Watterson.  Others said that if Watterson did do work on the strip, his art skills had gone way down.  When it was discovered he had drawn the strip, there were a few "told you so's," and more positive remarks.

Bill Watterson's artwork has remained great.  If he wanted to draw Calvin & Hobbes again, in the same style and quality again, he could.  I personally really liked the style Bill Watterson chose for the collaboration, but I also like the simplistic stick-figure type style that Stephan Pastis uses as well.  Something about them are so endearing.  Watterson's current artwork seemed to be influenced by some of his past favorite comics, like Pogo, and more obviously Archie.  He also had his own style wrapped in the mix.  It was really great to see the comics and read the article on how it came to be.  The news really made my day.

I was a little nervous when I heard they were remaking Sailor Moon.  Being a huge fan of the original series, including both Japanese and English dubbed versions, and the books, I wondered how the new series would hold up.  The answer is - very well so far.  Every other week a new episode of "Sailor Moon Crystal" is released on Hulu.  The artwork is great.  It is closer to the style of the manga series, which makes it stand out from other anime shows.  It is interesting how sometimes the story-line is exactly the same, and sometimes it is completely different than the original television series.  I believe it is probably closer to the manga, but since it has been so long since I have read them, I am not completely sure on that.  The new series seems more grown-up.  I have been watching the new series with the same excitement I used to have for the old series.  At first, I was not sure what I thought of the new intro music of the new series, but now I find it quite catchy, almost as much as the old series.  The Sailor Moon Crystal series has released 6 episodes so far.  Hulu also has the original Japanese version for viewing as well.  It is very exciting to see Sailor Moon making a comeback.

After decades of waiting, my absolute favorite T.V. show of all time, has finally come out on DVD.  The reason it has taken so long, is because the original series had a ton of great music from the 60's and 70's era.  Many of the songs had copyright restrictions.  Somehow, they have managed to get most of the original music (300 songs) on the DVDs, including the original theme song, "With a Little Help From My Friends" as sung by Joe Cocker.  Netflix and Amazon were both allowing streaming of the show at an earlier date, but the theme song, at that time, was replaced by a song in a country twang that did not suit the series at all.  The original song has made it back for the DVDs.

It is evident that the producers of the DVDs, tried their best to match music that would fit the episodes almost as well, to replace the songs they could not obtain the rights to.  Because I am such a big fan of the series, I have noticed some of the music changes so far (such as the theme song from "Romeo & Juliet" - it was changed to something that could have come from the same movie from the same orchestra).  Even though the changes seem pretty obvious to me, I honestly don't think the average watcher (or even a casual fan), would really notice a difference.

The Wonder Years mainly focuses on a boy, coming of age in the late 60's to early 70's, and his relationship with his friends and parents during that time.  The show is timeless, because the challenges, the complexity, and the humor of the show is still very relatable, even in this generation.  The series had an excellent cast, and many guest appearances by people who have become famous since the time they went on the show.  The original cast members have all moved on, and have continued to be successful in their current careers.

I was so excited when I saw that my DVDs arrived on Wednesday, just a few days before my upcoming birthday (October 11).  Excellent timing. It almost seemed like The Wonder Years planned it, just for me!  Even if that isn't the case, I am truly grateful.  It is a great birthday present for myself.  Thank you, Wonder Years!

Lego Architecture, The Beauty of Music Videos, and My Thoughts on The Bellevue Arts Fair 2014

So, you are probably wondering if I made it to the Bellevue Arts Fair this year.  I did, but not for very long, as I had another event that I decided to attend that evening.  I saw many great things in the short time I was there.  I will write about that towards the end of this blog.  

A few weeks before the Arts Fair, I went to the EMP specifically to see "Spectacle:  The Music Video" exhibit.  Before spending my time, listening and watching incredible music throughout the years, I briefly took a look at the exhibit:  "Block by Block:  Inventing Amazing Architecture."

I had forgotten about the Lego exhibit at the museum when I arrived at the EMP, so it was an extra bonus to see!  The exhibit was not very big, as it only took one room, but the Lego structures were quite nice.

In the photo below:  Buildings from two favorite cities together.  Left:  The Willis Tower (formerly "Sears Tower") and the Space Needle.  Complete with the 12th man flag waving on top:

The little details are amazing:

These Lego men are working hard to complete the 30 St. Mary Axe, structure in London:

The music video exhibit was much larger than I expected.  Several monitors were dispersed throughout each room, and often showed more than one music video.  You could spend all day there, just watching the videos themselves.  Since this is in Seattle, they obviously had costumes from a Macklemore & Ryan Lewis video (Thrift Shop) on display:

I want my MTV...

First music video aired on MTV August 1, 1981:  "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles.

Devo's "Whip It" played below a replica of the iconic head-gear, in what they called an "Energy Dome."  I think it looks like the bottom half of a toilet plunger:

This is the result of when OK Go makes a music video using a Rube Goldberg Machine ("When the Morning Comes"):

One of my favorite music videos of all time "Take On Me" by A-ha.

The artwork is just amazing in it:

There was one music video on display that was in 3D.  The 3D was amazing, but it had to be one of the weirdest music videos I have ever seen.  The music video is called, "Wanderlust."  The artist is Bjork.  Here is Bjork's headgear and a prop-head:

...and I believe this may be a mock-up sketch.

After finishing what I wanted to see of the music video exhibit, I found some new things on display for the "Icons of Science Fiction Exhibit."  I also took some photos of things I missed before:

One of the Robots from "Lost In Space":

An old cyberman costume from "Doctor Who":

I believe this is supposed to be the Discovery One space craft.  From "2001 Space Odyssey":

There were several sci-fi books on display that had piles of things around them:

Stargate helmet:

I was looking forward to going to the Bellevue Arts Fair this year.  Like every year, I planned not to buy anything, and luckily, I managed to save my money.  So, in a way, it helped that I had to leave early.

 

One of the first things I was impressed with, was a table done by Rocky Canyon tileworks.  A beautiful table, hand-crafted in a mosaic style.  A husband and wife team do all the artwork themselves.  The wife individually carves each shape from clay to be laid into the tables, and the tables are welded and shaped by the husband.  The result is colorful and lovely.  Some of the stones look as if fresh water droplets are remaining on the surface of the table.  It makes a very stunning effect.

As I was looking at David Bjurstrom's art from afar, I could have sworn they were black and white photographs.  I was amazed at the incredible detail.  The shadowing is astonishing.  There is one piece that is called "Longhorn," and the hair looks as if you could touch it.  It is so amazing.

There were some interesting retro-looking radios at the Arts Fair this year from Mod Radio.  Some looked like globes, others looked like antique cameras, and some looked just like old radios - except you could attach your iPod to them.  I thought they were pretty neat, and kind of fun.

They had some of this chain-link clothing on display at Unzicker Design.  It may look light to wear, but just lifting a small piece of it, I could tell it would be quite heavy.  It would be quite awesome to wear however, to a party or somewhere.

Can Do Planes makes art from recycled pop cans and beer cans.  I really liked an airplane I saw made from a Coca-Cola can.  There were planes, vehicles, and a few animals done in this style.  It was pretty fun.

Some large pieces of glass, with light illuminating from behind gave Samuel Bates artwork a breath-taking 3D effect.  Looking at the pieces, it would not seem possible, but they are carved in a way that gives an illusion of depth in space.  My favorite piece is one he has of a girl with butterflies coming out of her hair.

Last, but not least, was one of my favorite items I saw that night.  A Carogi bag.  These bags are not only pretty, but they are versatile.  You can wear them as a shoulder bag, a hip sling, a backpack, and a book-bag.  I liked one of the bags with a face on it, but there are others without faces, if that is not your style.  The artist was very nice, and showed me the various ways it can be folded to be a different bag.  They were all very detailed and beautiful.

I wish I could have spent longer at the Bellevue Arts Fair, but sometimes plans conflict with other plans.  I think I may have only stayed 40 minutes, looking around under the Bellevue Square Mall parking lot, but perhaps it was more like 2 hours.  I am not sure.  It seemed like a short time, but my feet were tired at the end.

Dinner at Lunchbox Laboratory

Yesterday I had dinner with my folks at Lunchbox Laboratory.  I had driven past it in Bellevue quite a few times, and thought it looked cool from the outside.  While driving on my route, listening to Kent & Allen in the Morning (a local Seattle radio show), they mentioned that they had eaten there before, and the burgers were good.  I decided to look them up on Yelp, and the photos of food looked amazing.  After looking up the online menu, noticing unique burger and shake combinations, as well as some other things, I decided we had to check it out.

The parking is in a garage under the restaurant.  It was a little difficult to find the parking garage, and even more difficult to find the correct elevator.  We were also given a card with a number on it to type a code to use the bathroom.  The restaurant shares a bathroom with the residential gym it appears, so that is why they do that.

The atmosphere of the Lunchbox Laboratory is really cool.  There are several vintage/retro lunchboxes behind glass, placed on shelves, or used as napkin and condiment holders on the tables.  It makes the environment very fun.  The lunchbox at our table had hearts and Tootsie Rolls on it, saying, "I love Tootsie Rolls."   

I was very tempted to order one of their unique shakes, but I ordered the "Fresh Squeezed Lemonade and Strawberry" beverage instead.  This drink is served in a beaker with a lemon wedge.  It was tasty and refreshing.  It does not get free refills, but that is okay.  I had plenty of water to keep me hydrated.  My parents ordered sodas.  They got free refills, but their beverages were not served in beakers.

For my meal, I ordered the "Burger of the Gods."  First of all, what a great name, right?  Advertised on the menu as having "Super-Beef, Crumbled Bleu Cheese, Candied Balsamic Onions, and Super Gorgonzola Spread," it did not even need the sliced pickle, tomato, onion, and lettuce they put on the side of it.  It was plenty delicious on it's own (the condiments served with it made a nice side-salad, instead).  I started eating my burger as soon as the waiter left, and realized I hadn't taken a photo of it!  So, I may have been able to get a better angle, if I were not so hungry at the time.  It is actually a lot more beautiful than this photo (which was taken with my mom's borrowed ancient cell phone, vs. my normal photo devices).  The burger itself actually looks much closer to the photo on the menu than seen here.  The taste lives up to its name. Delicious flavors surround the juicy beef.  The burger comes with one side.  For my side, I got the "House Made Chips."  I was very pleased with my side order, they complimented everything very well.

My dad ordered the same burger, but decided to order one of the "Weekly Experiments" for his side.  He ordered the "Coconut Yellow Curry Mac," which is a form of Mac & Cheese with coconut and curry in it.  I tried some.  It was good, but it was really strong.  It kind of overpowered my other bites of food after tasting it.  A small portion was nice, but I think a whole serving would be too much for my tastes.  I was glad I got the chips.  Next time, I will probably get the fries.  They have some interesting sauces I want to try.

After we were done eating, our bellies were full, but not over-stuffed, which was nice.  I contemplated ordering a shake for dessert, but decided I would be miserable if I did.  I will definitely have to give this place another try.  What I had was excellent.

Lunchbox Laboratory has locations in Bellevue, Seattle, and Gig Harbor.

The Bite of Seattle 2014 Brings us Back to the Future and Other Great Things

The Alley - Day 1, Friday, July 18 (clockwise from bottom):  Niman Ranch beef brisket with Washington blueberry corn mojo (Miller's Guild), Massaman curry with chicken (Racha Noodle & Thai Cuisine), Honey barbecue pork buns (O'Asian Kitchen & Lounge), Chickpea salad (Purple Café), Creamsicle cupcake (Pinkabella Cupcakes),  Spinach Lamb with ghee rice (hormone-free, grass-fed lamb), and Harissa quinoa with mint mint and cilantro.

If you read my blog during the month of July, you already know I enjoy going to The Bite of Seattle every year.  This year, there were many fun events at The Bite I enjoyed, along with my traditional stop to The Alley, which was hosted by Jason Wilson this year.  Wilson was named best chef in the Northwest in 2010 by the James Beard Foundation, a national non-profit organization based in New York City.

I wasn't sure what to expect from "The Alley" this year, since it is no longer hosted by Tom Douglas, but it seemed to make a smooth transition.  The menu changed up a little day to day, which is what has happened in the past few years, along with some classic favorites.

Friday was excellent weather.  It was really sunny out, maybe even a little too sunny?  However, it made it a nice environment to eat and watch all the other goings on outside.  There was not a very long line to The Alley, which was nice, since my dad (who came over just for this specific event), and I were running a little later than we wanted to get there.  We made it a little less than an hour before The Alley part closed, and we were able to get food.  Here is my review for the first day, for more details, see photo above:

Niman Ranch beef brisket with Washington blueberry corn mojo:  This must be a popular favorite, because I have had this at previous Bites, and enjoyed it immensely.  It is also fun to watch them cook it over a fiery grill, just before being served on your plate.  The meat is an excellent flavor, and mojo is excellent to.  It compliments the meat very well.

Massaman curry with chicken:  I often order a red curry dish when I go out for Thai food, because it is one of my favorites.  This was very similar to dishes I have ordered in the past.  It had a nice flavor.

Honey barbecue pork buns:  My dad looked at this and thought it was a dessert.  When he asked me, I told him that even though it had a pastry wrapped around it, it had pork inside.  It did have a sweet taste due to the honey barbecue sauce, so maybe, in a way, it was dessert!  Small, but very tasty.  I believe I have had this at a previous Bite.

Chickpea salad:  Even though I liked this, the flavor was subtle, even to the point of being a bit bland.  I told my dad this, and he agreed. Of course, chickpeas themselves are kind of bland.

Creamsicle cupcake:  Great flavor for summer without melting all over you!  I love creamsicles, and this little cupcake did not disappoint!

 Spinach Lamb with ghee rice:  Probably my favorite dish of the foods I hadn't tried yet.  A very nice flavor, like some Indian food I have had in the past.

Harissa quinoa with mint mint and cilantro:  Like the chickpea salad, I liked this dish.  It had a subtle flavor, but it too, was a bit bland.  It had a nice texture, however.  At first, my dad did not care for it, but the more he had of it, the better he liked it.  I would have it again.

After we ate, we were thoroughly full.  I saw things outside The Alley I would have loved to try, but there was no way I could have eaten them.  I still looked this year for the Deep Fried Pepsi Float, but did not find one booth that had that.  It must have not been very popular.  There was a place that had deep fried PB&J's (peanut butter and jelly sandwiches- in case you did not know), but that did not sound appetizing at all.

There were many other fun events at The Bite of Seattle this year:

There was a great exhibit about Texas where you could get a "passport" which is just a little pamphlet advertising some of what Texas has to offer, there was a little quiz on the state, a few games featuring some of the states music, attractions, and beaches.  A photo to be taken with a Texas backdrop of your choosing. There was even a possibility to win a free trip to the area as well.  I thought I knew nothing about Texas.  I got a few questions right, however.  I guess most people don't do as well, or so I was told.  It was fun.

The Geico Gecko made an appearance.  So, the radio said that the REAL Geico Gecko would be at The Bite this year.  I figured maybe it would be a live gecko that they used along with computer animation, or a person in a suit.  This was neither.  Did I miss something?  This is cool, too though.  He is bigger than I expected.  It even looks like he is holding the Geico Pig in his hand!  The people he acts with must be giants!

An over-sized Pokeball was inside the Seattle Canter, part of a display for a Wii tournament that was going on.  Again, Pikachu and Ash must be enormous!

They showed the movie, "Back to the Future" for free in the park by the mural.  I was hoping it would be ON the mural, perhaps covering it with a sheet first or something.  My dad said, "That would be impressive."

I said, "Maybe they should think of doing that in the future" (Pun not exactly intended).

Glow sticks were passed around to everyone watching the movie, but the guy passed my dad and I!  Hey!  Why didn't we get one?  Some people got up to get theirs, but he was too far away before I realized what was going on.

A very awesome replica of the "Back to the Future" DeLorean was there on display.  It even had the Flux Capacitor!  This was truly impressive to see.  It also had steam come out the back every once in awhile.  Apparently it can be rented for parties and events such as this.

The Alley - Day 2, Saturday, July 19 (clockwise from bottom):  Honey barbecue pork buns (O'Asian Kitchen & Lounge), Creamsicle cupcake (Pinkabella Cupcakes), Fried chicken sammy with garnish (Skillet Diner), Vegetable and pork wonton with spicy sauce (Din Tai Fung), Charred Monterey Bay squid salad with chorizo & green garbanzo beans (Crush), Niman Ranch beef brisket with Washington blueberry corn mojo (Miller's Guild), and Citrus poached white gulf prawn, Demitri's Bloody Mary Mix, pickled local vegetables (Salty's on Alki). 

The second day of The Bite was windy.  We got our food, and I had some challenges trying to photograph it well, and later I had to hold onto things to keep them from blowing over, but there it is.  Three of the seven food items I already have reviewed, so you can go to the top of this blog for reference on those.  Here is my review for the rest of the food items:

Fried chicken sammy with garnish:  I really liked this little sandwich.  It was really tasty.  The flavors seemed subtle, but not bland.  My dad thought it had a little heat to it.  I had just eaten the wonton before it, which was spicy, so I did not really notice that the sandwich was spicy.  It was served on a deliciously flaky bun (my dad did not notice the texture), but it was one of my favorites.  I would definitely like to have another one sometime.

Vegetable and pork wonton with spicy sauce:  My server told me this was the "best wonton," and I believe him.  It was very flavorful.  Quite spicy, but not too spicy.

Charred Monterey Bay squid salad with chorizo & green garbanzo beans:  Apparently this is one of Jason Wilson's dishes.  I didn't like it.  I am starting to think I just don't like squid.  I have tried to like squid, but I just don't.  The texture is very bothersome to me.  I did not really care for the other flavors of the dish, either.  My dad liked this dish, he said the squid was very tender.  It may have been his least favorite of the seven dishes served that day, but he still liked it.  I would think since it says "charred" in the title, that it would have some brown spots or something.  The salad did not seem to have that.  I really don't know much about squid cooking, however.  I don't plan to use that skill in the future.

Citrus poached white gulf prawn, Demitri's Bloody Mary Mix, pickled local vegetables:  This was so good.  Maybe my favorite.  Very nice flavors, properly cooked.  Very tasty.

Before leaving The Bite, we looked around some more, sat around the International Water Fountain, while kids soaked themselves under it's spray.

We were listening to a band from far away called "Bowievision".  I told my dad I thought they were good.  My dad at that point said they were "okay."  I am not sure all the songs they sang were by David Bowie, but after awhile, I realized they were playing several in a row.  My dad noticed, too.  He then decided the band was really good, and told me he thought the singer's voice was better than David Bowie's.  I liked the band, but I disagreed about the singer having a better voice than Bowie.

We decided to leave The Bite after their music set.  Outside the parking garage there was a sign that said that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was open free to the public.  We decided to check it out.  It was very interesting and educational, it also has some fun interactive things.  I did not know it was always free till that day, but you should check it out.  It sits kiddie-corner from the EMP, right next to the parking garage there.

  

My aunt and uncle came into town on today, and wanted to go to The Bite with my dad and I on the last day it was here.  It was sprinkling a little, and a bit colder than the past two days.  We got our food, and luckily found one last table that had an umbrella.

The Alley, Day 3, Sunday, July 20 (clockwise from bottom):  Niman Ranch beef brisket with Washington blueberry corn mojo (Miller's Guild), Chilled cucumber soup with truffle oil (on the side is a bite of marinated salmon, which was not mentioned on the menu) (Triumph Bar), Honey barbecue pork buns (O'Asian Kitchen & Lounge), Coconut chicken with cumin rice (Spice Route), Creamsicle cupcake (Pinkabella Cupcakes), Lamb and goat cheese risotto fritter with sauce tomate (The Repp), and Pork belly mac and cheese with house-made chicharrones (Manhattan).

Niman Ranch beef brisket with Washington blueberry corn mojo:  I know I already reviewed this, but I have got to say we got some nice portions this time around on this particular dish.  The server almost looked like, "Maybe I shouldn't give her this much..." I was telepathically saying, "Yes.  Yes, you should!"  So, he did.  The rest of my family got good sized portions as well.  The mojo seemed to taste more vinegary today.  I did not really notice the vinegar before, but I liked it.

Chilled cucumber soup with truffle oil:  My aunt really liked this, and I did too.  It was different, but in a good way.  She did not like the raw salmon on the side.  I thought it was okay.  I think it is a taste I could acquire.  I dipped some of it in the soup and liked it better.  Maybe that is what we were supposed to do.  I don't know.  There was no instruction to do that.

Coconut chicken with cumin rice:  I really liked this.  Even better than the  Massaman curry with chicken from Friday, which seemed similar.  Really good flavor.  

Pork belly mac and cheese with house-made chicharrones:  The title on this one is confusing.  First it says "pork belly," then it says "chicharrones."  I looked up "chicharrones," and it looks like they are pork bellies.  Am I wrong?  While my family was eating this, they mentioned bacon.  "I didn't get any bacon!"  I said.  I felt ripped-off!  How can you leave out the bacon?  The mac and cheese was a little different than I sometimes expect from mac and cheese.  The cheese was like a Parmesan sprinkled over a pasta that was not macaroni. What I had was really good, but I think it would have enhanced the flavor if it had bacon.  Because of the confusing title, my family thought maybe the bacon was actually chicharrones.  After my research, I think they had bacon that I did not have.

Overall, the Bite was really fun this year.  I liked the added events.  Especially the free movie in the park and that awesome car!  I think my guests enjoyed themselves, too.

Even seagulls love The Bite of Seattle!

A share from all proceeds of "The Alley" go directly to Food Lifeline.