The Sun Came Out!

The sun finally decided to make an appearance in WA this week.  We even had our first 70 degree day as a result.  With spring in the air, I decided to get working on my garden and yard.

The neighbor's tree in the front yard.

Easter present from my MIL starting to blossom

I made an intense Home Depot run and brought home quite a few items for less than a hundred bucks.  Most of my time was spent pulling weeds and getting things tidied up.  I swear I have spent hours and hours pulling weeds since we bought this house.  The job never really ends.

The Loot

Last year my tiny garden produced mostly lettuce, but this year I am hoping for a bit more success.  My garden box is full of herbs (rosemary, cilantro, chives, parsley, sage, basil).  I planted quite a few greens as they were the most successful last year (romaine, spinach, chard, kale).  Broccoli, zucchini, yellow squash, peppers, tomato, and onions are all planted as well.

My baby garden

My hanging flower boxes are full of seasonal flowers, and I even planted some California golden poppy seeds in my flower beds.  I decided to pull some ugly bushes from next to our garage this winter, but I replaced them with a few varieties of perennials (to make next year a little easier).

A pop of color

Replaced the ugly old bushes (and a barking pup)

I am sad (secretly glad) to announce that I have my first sunburn of the year (just my neck...missed it with the sunscreen).  If anyone wants to donate a sun hat to my gardening effort it would be much appreciated :)  Buckley enjoyed basking in the sun and chewing on sticks in the freshly cut grass.  Here is to a fruitful spring and summer!   

Can't wait for Mike to come home and help us out in the yard :)

April in the District

I spent the past few days with one of my oldest and dearest friends in Washington DC.  Alana and I met in Junior High and just calculated that we have been friends longer than we have lived without each other.  When Alana posted that she had extra tickets to the Maroon 5 concert, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to escape the PNW.

I arrived in DC Wednesday afternoon, and I navigated the Metro to meet Alana at work (she is a manager for Matchbox).  We freshened up and met some of her girlfriends for dinner at Matchbox.  After a huge and delicious meal (perks of knowing the chef), we headed two blocks down the street to the concert.  While there were moments when we felt quite old, seeing Adam Levine live made it all worth it (and the band did play some of their older songs - haha).  We finished the night at some of the nearby bars.  

The Ladies after Maroon 5

Thursday was spent exploring the city.  We ate, drank, went to the Nationals game.  The weather wasn't perfect, but Alana and I had a great time anyway.  That evening we met up with my SIL and her girlfriend (and I got to see their dog Sota).  

Baseball is Back!

Eating as per usual

Sota Pop

Alana surprised me with reservations at Range, Bryan Voltaggio's new restaurant in DC, on Friday.  We spent the morning shopping, and were blown away with our lunch.  Each item we ordered was better than the last.  Both the decor and service were amazing.  Thank goodness there is a five hour plane ride between me and that restaurant.  TROUBLE.  *Missing a photo of the goat cheese ravioli...we ate it too fast for a photo :)

Fancy Pants

Tuna and Avocado Puree

Veggies

Bacon and Asparagus Pizza

Meyer Lemon Custard with Blood Orange Sorbet

Next, we headed to capital hill for some afternoon patio drinks in the sunshine.  We met up with my SIL and girlfriend again for dinner.  We hopped around to a few wonderful places, and ate at Ted's Bulletin.  I should not have been surprised, but everything we ate while in DC was so good.  I love having friends that are foodies like me :)

Sadly, I had to leave early Saturday morning.  I am such a lucky lady to have Alana in my life, and spending time with her this weekend reminded me just that.  

Always nice to come back to this face :)

A Good Time

My Thursday night...

Oh yes, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and Harry Potter!  With Mike gone, I thought I would take the opportunity to spend a little time reading.  I had started watching the movies with my friend Charli soon after Mike deployed, and I thought supplementing the movies with the books would be perfect.

I love love love baking, and oatmeal chocolate chip happens to be my absolute favorite variety of cookie.  I usually use the recipe on the bottom of the Quaker Oats lid, but when I saw this recipe in Hugh Acheson's book I knew I had to try it.  Hugh's book A New Turn in the South is simply beautiful.  I highly recommend it.  The cookies were much thicker than those I usually make, and the texture was perfectly chewy.  Although I made the cookies exactly as the recipe is written, I would definitely omit the cinnamon next time.  Cinnamon is for oatmeal raisin cookies (yuck!).  Chocolate > Raisins.

Here is the recipe from Hugh's book :

Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies
     Ingredients:
        1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
        1/2 cup plus 1 Tbs granulated sugar
        1/2 tsp salt
        1 tsp pure vanilla extract
        1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (I would omit this)
        1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
        1 cup rolled oats
        3/4 cup all-purpose flour
        1/4 tsp baking soda
        1 (4 oz) bar semisweet chocolate, cut or broken into small chunks
    Process:
        Preheat oven to 350 F
        Place the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, melt.
       Add sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and melted butter into a large bowl and whisk for 2 minutes.
       Add the egg and egg yolk and whisk for 1 more minute.  Let mixture rest for 10 min.
       Combine oats, flour, and baking soda in small bowl.
       Whisk butter mixture for one more minute, then fold in dry ingredients.  Once incorporated, add        chocolate.
       Place onto parchment (should make 10 cookies)
       Bake for 6 min, rotate pan, then bake 4-6 more min.

Even though she can't have any cookies, she can snuggle with me as I read :)

Seattle Food & Wine Experience

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to attend the Seattle Food & Wine Experience, an event celebrating Seattle area restaurants, wineries, breweries, and all things food.  A friend from work has gone for the last few years and had great things to say.  I invited Charli, an army-girlfriend and good friend of mine, to drive with me.  We found pretty close parking which can be a feat in Seattle.  The event was at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall (where we previously attended Zombiecon).

There were tons of booths with delicious bites of food from Seattle-area's best restaurants.  In between, you could sample wine from WA, OR, and even CA.  I tried all different foods and drinks, but the lamb meatballs proved to be my favorite food option.  The Guinness chocolate shots with Bourbon whipped cream blew my mind.

Food Station

Mediterranean lamb meatball

Our group was a conglomeration of my friends from work and my best Army buddy.  We went from booth to booth together giving our approvals and rare disapproval of each tasty treat.  A large group was perfect for sending someone to get you "seconds" of the bites you really loved.  I got to meet Micah Fields, a Top Chef contestant from this season in Seattle.  We had an absolute blast, and I can't wait to bring Mike there next year.  He would have been in foodie heaven yesterday :)

Cheers! me, Charli

I love Top Chef!

Bushel of Apples

There are so many times throughout my 12 hour day in the ICU that I think to myself...I should write this down, nobody would believe me if I told them that this just happened.  The other day one of our patient's wives asked her husband's nurse what she could ever do to repay us.  What can I bring you? After attempting to refuse any gifts, the nurse replied that we always appreciate food.  The grandma asked what kind of food.  Chocolate.  Nurses love chocolate.  Overhearing the conversation, Kalia (another nurse) chimed in: Or fruit, maybe something healthy.  

Days later, the grandma showed up at the nursing station with a brown paper grocery bag.  I received the bag and thanked the woman profusely.  When I took it back to the break room, I was quite surprised at what I found.  There was a box of chocolates, a dozen or so apples, and five oranges.  Oh look Kalia, the grandma listened to you...we have the whole produce aisle.  Kalia responded that she thought the woman might bring in a fruit plate, "not a bushel of apples."  I proceeded to die laughing.  It was a damn good apple though :)

BFF

My best friend Melissa and I have been planning her trip to WA for months.  We skipped Christmas presents and made her trip our joint present.  She arrived late Valentine's Day night, and we stayed up late chatting (as per usual).  Throughout the weekend, we talked, ate, and relaxed.  Of course I had to take her out on the town for at least one day.  Fremont has always been one of my favorite places in Western WA, and I knew Melissa would love a tour of Theo.  I have talked about the Theo Chocolate Factory Tour here before, so I won't elaborate.  I will say that Mike should be looking out for a package soon; it will be packed full of his requests (Trader Joe's treats and Theo Chocolate).

Lookin' Good :)

Melissa and I spent a good deal of time drinking wine and chatting in the hot tub.  Mike's encouragement for us to get the hot tub definitely paid off this weekend.  I am so very lucky to have Melissa in my life.  From Junior High until now, she has always been someone who made me a better person.  Spending the weekend with her was a fantastic break from the ho hum of a lonely February.  And a special thanks to Melissa's hubby Jason for letting me borrow his wife on Valentine's Day weekend.

Fremont Bridge

  

Puerto Vallarta

I have been looking forward to this trip for months and months.  Mike's grandparents have had a timeshare in Puerto Vallarta for years, but Mike and I had never been able to take vacation time in early January.  This year I knew that I would need an escape from both the cold and the loneliness in Tacoma...a trip to Mexico would be the perfect retreat.  Mike's sister Jenelle has been able to go to Mexico for the last couple of years, and I planned to take advantage of her experience and knowledge of the area.  Typically, Jenelle has vacationed with the grandparents or a group of friends.  This year, however, the trip ended up being just three of us.

Nancy (Jenelle's girlfriend), Jenelle, me

While I was worried about getting in the way or being the third wheel, the three of us had an absolutely wonderful time.  We relaxed, we explored, we ate, and we drank.  The timeshare room was great and the view even greater.

View from our balcony

A perfect place to read

Our first night out was probably the most memorable.  If anyone is headed to P.V., a trip to Pepe's is a must.  While I don't really remember the food, I do remember the world's largest margaritas (I think we even got a free second round).  Chips, guacamole, and margaritas...ahhh, the best!

Trouble and guac

Jenelle and Nancy at Pepe's

Relaxing on the beach is certainly an important part of a Mexico vacation in January.  I read at least four books over the week in P.V.  Relaxation at it's finest :)

Lunch at the bar

Bliss

The three of us had a great time on some of our day trips.  We went whale watching with a great guide who was so full of knowledge about humpback whales.  I was so happy to see such large and majestic animals so close up.  

Humpback Whale!

I love thinking back to all the beautiful sunsets we experienced that week.  One of the best sunsets we saw was during the sunset sail.  Sitting on the edge of a boat with a cocktail in hand while watching the sun set over the ocean definitely made me miss Mike.  Can you believe those colors?    

Sunset Sail

Sunset on the Water in Puerto Vallarta

Sunset from our Room

I had a blast during my week in P.V.  I am so thankful to Grandma, Grandpa, Jenelle, and Nancy (not to mention Mike for letting me go) for making everything so fantastic.  Can't wait until next year when Mike can come too.