We had a successful "gingerbread decorating" party last Saturday. What a treat! My DH went above-and-beyond baking and assembling 11 houses so the kids could get right to the fun part of decorating them and making them their own. He also made cookies for smaller "landscapes" and it was all good -- too good! Oy, the eating! Still, it was so good to have time with friends. That, after all, is the heart of the holiday - but food is a close second!
We celebrate both Xmas and Hanukkah, so we have twice the eating opportunities. This weekend is brisket and latkes, and Xmas Eve is shrimp creole by the fire. Xmas morning, Santa brings bagels and lox (with lots of capers and onions) as well as presents. Then NYE means braised lamb and a midnight dessert buffet at the Seattle Rep, where we're going to see You Can't Take It With You, and then dance and munch until the fireworks there at the Seattle Center. Then it's back to "real life" and sensible eating as we start the new year...
One thing that's been tough this holiday season is that we usually give a lot to charity at this time of year. The Seattle Center has a giving tree, and we used to select a couple of the elderly and a couple of kids and buy presents for them. We just couldn't do it this year. No extravagant gifts for ourselves, of course, but no big donations to our favorite charities, either. Here's hoping that next year puts us in a better position to give to the organizations who are doing such good work.
One organization in particular is FareStart. They train homeless people to work in the food industry so that they can get jobs and change their lives. They are a great group doing important grass-roots work to change lives in a positive way - good for people/good for Seattle. I love these guys. YouTube has a number of videos of FareStart success stories. This one came in this month's newsletter, and I think it's worth sharing.
If I don't get back to blogging before the new year, happy holidays to one and all!
FareStart:
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
How can they sleep at night?
Worked at home today because there's a threat of snow. The rest of the country would laugh at Seattle and our fear of flurries, but it's a safer place if I'm not on the road in snow. I have to be in the 'burbs for our annual holiday gingerbread house decorating party, so I got here while the driving was easy.
Anyway, my DH listens to CNBC all day long, so some of it penetrated even though I'm pretty good at blocking out sounds when I'm working. The discussion today about the car company bailouts really touched me. After giving a hundred billion dollars to bail out the financial companies without so much as a request as to how they were going to spend the money, the feds are requesting that the UAW take a cut in pay before they'll even offer a bridge loan to keep America working.
So, if you're a big mucky-muck in a failed financial house, you can get a grant from the feds to give yourself a bonus, but if you're a working guy making cars on the line at GM, you have to work for less to even have a job.
How do those Republicans even sleep at night with the inequity they continue to defend?
Today was also the day that one of the biggest market makers was arrested for a 50 billion dollar ponzi scam he's been running. And his business was regulated. Huh? Yeah, financial leaders are ever so trustworthy...NOT.
Anyway, my DH listens to CNBC all day long, so some of it penetrated even though I'm pretty good at blocking out sounds when I'm working. The discussion today about the car company bailouts really touched me. After giving a hundred billion dollars to bail out the financial companies without so much as a request as to how they were going to spend the money, the feds are requesting that the UAW take a cut in pay before they'll even offer a bridge loan to keep America working.
So, if you're a big mucky-muck in a failed financial house, you can get a grant from the feds to give yourself a bonus, but if you're a working guy making cars on the line at GM, you have to work for less to even have a job.
How do those Republicans even sleep at night with the inequity they continue to defend?
Today was also the day that one of the biggest market makers was arrested for a 50 billion dollar ponzi scam he's been running. And his business was regulated. Huh? Yeah, financial leaders are ever so trustworthy...NOT.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Ambiance == Darkness
I went to dinner last night with friends to a restaurant I've been to before and LOVED. It had great seafood, the dining room had a warm and cozy feel - just wonderful. However, sometime between the last time I went there and last night something drastic happened.
They lost their collective minds.
The restaurant Six Seven in the Edgewater Hotel used to be a seriously good restaurant. In a city that has more than its share of EXCELLENT restaurants, that's something about which a restaurant (and a hotel restaurant, no less) could be seriously proud. I should have known, though, as soon as we sat down that something was seriously amiss. The restaurant was so dark that we had to tilt a candle to even read the menu, and the layout of the menu was confusing as well (with no help from the waiter to ease our way into ordering).
Having made it through the menu by bailing out and opting for the 2 people for $67 4-course dinner, we still had hopes that the food would dazzle.It's not bad, but it is no longer in the top rankings of Seattle restaurants. My DH had the steak option (we had options for salad, entree, and dessert) and I had the fish. My sea bass was wonderful, but his steak arrived cold. Not only that, the DISH was hot, but the food was cold... Huh? The same thing happened with the soup - mine was fine, but his was cold. Maybe they had it out for him (not).
The desserts were wonderful - a gingerbread crust on a vanilla cheesecake and a molten-lava chocolate cake - so they must have kept their pastry chef. However, they seem to have lost their previous chef - or maybe they have the same chef, but he's gone as loony as the bozo who decided to up the ambiance by turning the lights off. What a disappointment - and expense. So disappointing to see a once stellar restaurant slide down hill like this...such a shame.
I'm just bleeding money these days, and it has to stop. We all received a notice that there will be a reduction-in-force, probably after the holidays, and we need to be tightening our belts. I guess I'm finished with my holiday shopping...
They lost their collective minds.
The restaurant Six Seven in the Edgewater Hotel used to be a seriously good restaurant. In a city that has more than its share of EXCELLENT restaurants, that's something about which a restaurant (and a hotel restaurant, no less) could be seriously proud. I should have known, though, as soon as we sat down that something was seriously amiss. The restaurant was so dark that we had to tilt a candle to even read the menu, and the layout of the menu was confusing as well (with no help from the waiter to ease our way into ordering).
Having made it through the menu by bailing out and opting for the 2 people for $67 4-course dinner, we still had hopes that the food would dazzle.
The desserts were wonderful - a gingerbread crust on a vanilla cheesecake and a molten-lava chocolate cake - so they must have kept their pastry chef. However, they seem to have lost their previous chef - or maybe they have the same chef, but he's gone as loony as the bozo who decided to up the ambiance by turning the lights off. What a disappointment - and expense. So disappointing to see a once stellar restaurant slide down hill like this...such a shame.
I'm just bleeding money these days, and it has to stop. We all received a notice that there will be a reduction-in-force, probably after the holidays, and we need to be tightening our belts. I guess I'm finished with my holiday shopping...
Monday, December 8, 2008
Synchronicity
Sometimes it seems prayers, like questions, are answered with more questions. I still have some praying and thinking to do about my issues with being faithful to my chosen family, while being accepting of my husband's family (and my birth family, too). There's a post over at Friar Yid that touches me to the core.
http://friaryid.blogspot.com/2008/12/reflections-on-yarzeit.html
He's not talking about me at all. But his use of the story of Abraham choosing to sacrifice his own son (even though the son is given a reprieve) rather than disobey G-d made me see the orthodoxy in my unorthodox life. I haven't worked out the nuances, yet, but I can see the spark of an answer amid the myriad of new questions.
Once, in M*A*S*H, a crazy guy who thought he was Jesus was asked why G-d doesn't always answer our prayers, and he said he always answers, but sometimes the answer is "no". I think what's happening is that we're not asking the right questions. Sometimes the answer is in the form of more questions to help us get to the right one. At least that's what I think.
One time, when I was a kid, my dad had a friend who went through some mid-life crisis, left his wife, started dating a much younger woman, and started dressing like some "hipster". It was embarrassing. I couldn't look at him. One night, he gave me a present - a board game called The Peter Pan Game (doubt he saw the irony) which was really cool. However, I couldn't look at him or at his young girlfriend. I just wanted to sink into the floor.
My dad told me later that I was rude to his friend, and that it hurt him to have me be so disrespectful. I never wanted to hurt my dad - but I felt like "pretending" to respect this guy was dishonest. I did a lot of thinking and praying then, too. It occurred to me that if I were only going to treat people with respect whom I thought deserved respect, then I was going to have to spend all my time judging people's behavior before I could do anything. That also meant that my behavior would be controlled by the behavior of others instead of being self determined. If they were respect-worthy, then I would be respectful; if they weren't, then I would be disrespectful. That just didn't seem right.
I finally decided that I could treat people with respect - not because they deserved respect - but because I deserved respect. Then it didn't matter whether they deserved it or not. I could treat this friend of my dad's with respect without feeling like a phony, not disappoint my father, and still feel true to myself.
There's got to be a solution like that for me here, too. It's just much easier for me to handle people hurting - or trying to hurt - me, than watching people hurt those whom I love. So this one is going to take more work, but I feel like the answer is closer now.
http://friaryid.blogspot.com/2008/12/reflections-on-yarzeit.html
He's not talking about me at all. But his use of the story of Abraham choosing to sacrifice his own son (even though the son is given a reprieve) rather than disobey G-d made me see the orthodoxy in my unorthodox life. I haven't worked out the nuances, yet, but I can see the spark of an answer amid the myriad of new questions.
Once, in M*A*S*H, a crazy guy who thought he was Jesus was asked why G-d doesn't always answer our prayers, and he said he always answers, but sometimes the answer is "no". I think what's happening is that we're not asking the right questions. Sometimes the answer is in the form of more questions to help us get to the right one. At least that's what I think.
One time, when I was a kid, my dad had a friend who went through some mid-life crisis, left his wife, started dating a much younger woman, and started dressing like some "hipster". It was embarrassing. I couldn't look at him. One night, he gave me a present - a board game called The Peter Pan Game (doubt he saw the irony) which was really cool. However, I couldn't look at him or at his young girlfriend. I just wanted to sink into the floor.
My dad told me later that I was rude to his friend, and that it hurt him to have me be so disrespectful. I never wanted to hurt my dad - but I felt like "pretending" to respect this guy was dishonest. I did a lot of thinking and praying then, too. It occurred to me that if I were only going to treat people with respect whom I thought deserved respect, then I was going to have to spend all my time judging people's behavior before I could do anything. That also meant that my behavior would be controlled by the behavior of others instead of being self determined. If they were respect-worthy, then I would be respectful; if they weren't, then I would be disrespectful. That just didn't seem right.
I finally decided that I could treat people with respect - not because they deserved respect - but because I deserved respect. Then it didn't matter whether they deserved it or not. I could treat this friend of my dad's with respect without feeling like a phony, not disappoint my father, and still feel true to myself.
There's got to be a solution like that for me here, too. It's just much easier for me to handle people hurting - or trying to hurt - me, than watching people hurt those whom I love. So this one is going to take more work, but I feel like the answer is closer now.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Mumbai
Sent an email to a friend living in Mumbai, who was (thankfully) unharmed in the attack. She sent this photo of the Taj Hotel as it used to look.
If you haven't stopped by Cook-Eat-Fret http://www.cookeatfret.com/ lately, stop by and see her latest unusual post about a December Thanksgiving.
Hope you are all well, and that the holidays and the coming year bring peace to all.
If you haven't stopped by Cook-Eat-Fret http://www.cookeatfret.com/ lately, stop by and see her latest unusual post about a December Thanksgiving.
Hope you are all well, and that the holidays and the coming year bring peace to all.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
A new day
Okay, that's out. Now I just have to suck it up and get on with life. So, what's more "life" than love, food and travel?
Thanksgiving this year was in San Francisco. We go somewhere new each year (next year might be Florida) since there are birthdays and the holiday to celebrate. Someday, we'll have it home in Seattle again, but I have no complaints about this year's activities!
We arrived on Monday and went to see a dear friend who welcomed us with a fire blazing in the fireplace, wine and delicious food and wonderful company. She apologized for keeping it simple - just chicken and veggies and potatoes, but isn't that perfect? After all, it was a week that was bound to be filled with the abundant and exotic, so a simple meal was exactly what we needed (and enjoyed). Another friend was with us, and kept the conversation interesting and even drove us back to our hotel. That's not as easy as it sounds in SF! It was a great night grazing and talking - the perfect way to start the vacation.
The next day, we wandered the city and tired ourselves out. We should have gone to the new Jewish museum, but I needed a nap before our excursion to North Beach for dinner with friends who were coming in from out of town. They live about 45 minutes from BART, and then it takes them an hour to get into the city, so it's not something they do often. I think it was as much fun for them as it was for us to visit that beautiful place.
We did a quick scan of our options for dinner in North Beach, and settled on an unusual choice. We went to Mangarosa (http://www.mangarosasf.com/), which is a Brazilian/Italian restaurant. The food was great and the company even better, but we didn't see any dancers on the bar! We took the cable car up Powell and back, so we could hop off at the street where my MIL and BIL were staying, and had the chance to visit with them a bit before we said good night. We could have hopped on the cable car again to get down to our hotel, but we just walked. The weather was mild, and walking DOWN Powell St is easy.
The next day was my MIL's birthday. We tried to visit the Jewish Museum, but it was closed - as was SFMOMA, so we just walked around the Ferry Plaza building and had lunch there. What a fabulous place! There was a stall there that sold nothing but mushrooms - tons of different kinds of fresh and dried mushrooms. There's a mushroom galette recipe (http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/when-the-funk-hits-the-fan/) that I've been longing to try, but haven't done so, yet. I'm not a pie crust maven, so I have been hesitant to try it.
Anyway, it was birthday-day, so we went to see the movie, Australia. There's no denying that Hugh Jackman is gorgeous, and the child actor was so beautiful that I loved seeing his face fill the screen. The movie, though, is a very, very, very long melodrama. It's the kind of movie that you'd expect to generate a hiss from the audience whenever the villain comes on screen. I took a break midway in the film, and then came back when the WWII action started. If you're going to have a long movie, at least blow things up!
After the movie, we took a break to share some wine in our hotel room, and then went do dinner at The House (http://www.thehse.com/). We opted for multiple appetizers and two entrees for 4 people. That worked out perfectly! We had hamachi with capers and avocado, grilled calamari with bonita flakes, rib eye steak perfectly cooked medium rare, black cod that was so good it was sweet, crab cakes for which the presentation was more like a volcano than any crab cake plate I've ever seen, and a butter lettuce salad with walnuts and gorgonzola cheese and one with a wonderful vinegrette that had broiled chicken livers (my MIL's favorite). All that with a Nagy2 Pinot Noir that was outstanding, and a bargain compared to the Willamette Valley Pinot Noir on the menu. Crowded and noisy, but the restaurant was still a wonderful success.
Thursday, I grabbed an Italian coffee at Bellini's right near the hotel, and then we took BART up to Pleasant Hill for an old-fashioned Thanksgiving dinner. It was wonderful spending time with my sister and her family. I don't get enough time with her, but cherish the time we do have. Dinner was great, and the wine was ever-flowing. I made a chocolate dessert, the recipe for which I got from Claudia at (http://www.cookeatfret.com/) and my sister made a birthday cake for her husband whose birthday fell on the perfect day this year, and my MIL made a wonderful pumpkin pecan "dump cake". I have to get the recipe for that one, since it looked incredibly easy and everyone commented on it. That's the best kind of recipe - more kudos than work!
Friday, we had breakfast at Sears (http://www.searsfinefood.com/). Sears is associated with appliances for me - or was until I went to this wonderful place in SF that's been in business since 1938. I had a veggie omelet, my DH tried their signature pancakes, and I had a bite - they were fabulous! My MIL had an omelet, too, and my BIL had a club sandwich that looked fantastic.
After that, my DH and I took off for Santa Rosa to stay with friends. We had leftovers - a real treat for those who travel during Thanksgiving, and have no leftovers of their own - and played a game called Sequence. It was fun chatting and laughing and playing. What a lovely couple they are, and their home is so cozy and warm. Their "city" is just the right size, too. We walked around their downtown the next day, stopped for breakfast at a friendly deli, and window shopped while we caught up on what's happening in our lives. I only met them after my DH and I started dating, but love them now like I've known them forever.
Finally, on Saturday, we took off for our last "event" of the trip. We went to visit my cousin and her family - including my Godmother!! - in Sonoma. WOW! Their house is beautiful, but their spirits and warmth are even more so. Seeing my Godmother in such good health and spirits made my week! We had a blast seeing them, and I hope we stay in closer touch from now on.
When we got back to the city, my DH and I were tired - but not too tired to head to Transporter 3. Yippee!! It was fantastic! Transporter was great; Transporter 2 was silly; Transporter 3 got it right. It was tense and fun - though the choppy direction which seems de rigeur these days in action films was a bit much. I like watching Stratham do his martial arts thing, and the cuts were a little distracting.
Next day was BART to bus to airport and home. Whew! We made it. I was a little dazed on Monday at work, but it was a great trip. I'll come back and edit this to add some links, fix spelling errors, etc. but want to get this posted now after my "down" post yesterday.
There are good things in life. I just have to keep praying, hoping, and plugging along.
Thanksgiving this year was in San Francisco. We go somewhere new each year (next year might be Florida) since there are birthdays and the holiday to celebrate. Someday, we'll have it home in Seattle again, but I have no complaints about this year's activities!
We arrived on Monday and went to see a dear friend who welcomed us with a fire blazing in the fireplace, wine and delicious food and wonderful company. She apologized for keeping it simple - just chicken and veggies and potatoes, but isn't that perfect? After all, it was a week that was bound to be filled with the abundant and exotic, so a simple meal was exactly what we needed (and enjoyed). Another friend was with us, and kept the conversation interesting and even drove us back to our hotel. That's not as easy as it sounds in SF! It was a great night grazing and talking - the perfect way to start the vacation.
The next day, we wandered the city and tired ourselves out. We should have gone to the new Jewish museum, but I needed a nap before our excursion to North Beach for dinner with friends who were coming in from out of town. They live about 45 minutes from BART, and then it takes them an hour to get into the city, so it's not something they do often. I think it was as much fun for them as it was for us to visit that beautiful place.
We did a quick scan of our options for dinner in North Beach, and settled on an unusual choice. We went to Mangarosa (http://www.mangarosasf.com/), which is a Brazilian/Italian restaurant. The food was great and the company even better, but we didn't see any dancers on the bar! We took the cable car up Powell and back, so we could hop off at the street where my MIL and BIL were staying, and had the chance to visit with them a bit before we said good night. We could have hopped on the cable car again to get down to our hotel, but we just walked. The weather was mild, and walking DOWN Powell St is easy.
The next day was my MIL's birthday. We tried to visit the Jewish Museum, but it was closed - as was SFMOMA, so we just walked around the Ferry Plaza building and had lunch there. What a fabulous place! There was a stall there that sold nothing but mushrooms - tons of different kinds of fresh and dried mushrooms. There's a mushroom galette recipe (http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/10/when-the-funk-hits-the-fan/) that I've been longing to try, but haven't done so, yet. I'm not a pie crust maven, so I have been hesitant to try it.
Anyway, it was birthday-day, so we went to see the movie, Australia. There's no denying that Hugh Jackman is gorgeous, and the child actor was so beautiful that I loved seeing his face fill the screen. The movie, though, is a very, very, very long melodrama. It's the kind of movie that you'd expect to generate a hiss from the audience whenever the villain comes on screen. I took a break midway in the film, and then came back when the WWII action started. If you're going to have a long movie, at least blow things up!
After the movie, we took a break to share some wine in our hotel room, and then went do dinner at The House (http://www.thehse.com/). We opted for multiple appetizers and two entrees for 4 people. That worked out perfectly! We had hamachi with capers and avocado, grilled calamari with bonita flakes, rib eye steak perfectly cooked medium rare, black cod that was so good it was sweet, crab cakes for which the presentation was more like a volcano than any crab cake plate I've ever seen, and a butter lettuce salad with walnuts and gorgonzola cheese and one with a wonderful vinegrette that had broiled chicken livers (my MIL's favorite). All that with a Nagy2 Pinot Noir that was outstanding, and a bargain compared to the Willamette Valley Pinot Noir on the menu. Crowded and noisy, but the restaurant was still a wonderful success.
Thursday, I grabbed an Italian coffee at Bellini's right near the hotel, and then we took BART up to Pleasant Hill for an old-fashioned Thanksgiving dinner. It was wonderful spending time with my sister and her family. I don't get enough time with her, but cherish the time we do have. Dinner was great, and the wine was ever-flowing. I made a chocolate dessert, the recipe for which I got from Claudia at (http://www.cookeatfret.com/) and my sister made a birthday cake for her husband whose birthday fell on the perfect day this year, and my MIL made a wonderful pumpkin pecan "dump cake". I have to get the recipe for that one, since it looked incredibly easy and everyone commented on it. That's the best kind of recipe - more kudos than work!
Friday, we had breakfast at Sears (http://www.searsfinefood.com/). Sears is associated with appliances for me - or was until I went to this wonderful place in SF that's been in business since 1938. I had a veggie omelet, my DH tried their signature pancakes, and I had a bite - they were fabulous! My MIL had an omelet, too, and my BIL had a club sandwich that looked fantastic.
After that, my DH and I took off for Santa Rosa to stay with friends. We had leftovers - a real treat for those who travel during Thanksgiving, and have no leftovers of their own - and played a game called Sequence. It was fun chatting and laughing and playing. What a lovely couple they are, and their home is so cozy and warm. Their "city" is just the right size, too. We walked around their downtown the next day, stopped for breakfast at a friendly deli, and window shopped while we caught up on what's happening in our lives. I only met them after my DH and I started dating, but love them now like I've known them forever.
Finally, on Saturday, we took off for our last "event" of the trip. We went to visit my cousin and her family - including my Godmother!! - in Sonoma. WOW! Their house is beautiful, but their spirits and warmth are even more so. Seeing my Godmother in such good health and spirits made my week! We had a blast seeing them, and I hope we stay in closer touch from now on.
When we got back to the city, my DH and I were tired - but not too tired to head to Transporter 3. Yippee!! It was fantastic! Transporter was great; Transporter 2 was silly; Transporter 3 got it right. It was tense and fun - though the choppy direction which seems de rigeur these days in action films was a bit much. I like watching Stratham do his martial arts thing, and the cuts were a little distracting.
Next day was BART to bus to airport and home. Whew! We made it. I was a little dazed on Monday at work, but it was a great trip. I'll come back and edit this to add some links, fix spelling errors, etc. but want to get this posted now after my "down" post yesterday.
There are good things in life. I just have to keep praying, hoping, and plugging along.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Harder than I thought
I wanted to do a post yesterday as a memorial to Matthew Shepard (http://www.matthewshepard.org/site/PageServer). Rather than write something on the day he died, I thought it would be better to celebrate his birthday. However, all I could manage to do was to make a donation and ponder my current situation.
I lived most of my adult life in a cocoon of sorts. Living as a gay woman in the Bay Area, and even here in Seattle, enabled me to surround myself with people I could trust implicitly and explicitly. I never had to question that these people, whom I love, would ever vote to make the lives of gay people anywhere more difficult than they already are. I marginalized straight people, picking and choosing my companions with ease. I was purposefully isolated, and life was good.
Then I had the wonderful fortune to fall in love with the most wonderful man in the world. He is beloved of my friends and welcomed as family, and I've been lucky enough to be welcomed into my DH's family as well. But I find myself in a quandry.
One problem is that I had a community, but there is no real "straight community". The only communities I can recognize are the subcultures by ethnicity, but none seem as cohesive as the gay community. I traveled the world by myself, yet never felt alone because there "family" was everywhere. Now, I don't feel that way - or I do, but I'm not really a part anymore.
Still, I'm meeting people whom I like - a lot - but then I find out that they actively vote to hurt the people I love - MY family. So, what do I do? They're not openly hostile. I don't think any of them would physically attack anyone. Still, it's not very comfortable. I keep thinking about what Dr. King said (paraphrasing) that, in the end, it's not the words of our enemies we'll remember, but the silence of our friends.
All this is coming at a time when my body is going through hostile changes - like it's Icarus and has to get to the sun as fast as possible. Doesn't make it easy to stay sane or rational. Over-reactions are the norm, and I just feel like screaming or crying or both.
This is a whole new world for me. I'm not in my comfy ghetto anymore, and I'm not sure how to live here, but it's my life. I wouldn't trade my love, my life, for anything, so I just have to learn to cope without disappointing Dr. King. I don't want to be a silent friend, but I don't know how to be heard, either. It just makes me so sad.
I lived most of my adult life in a cocoon of sorts. Living as a gay woman in the Bay Area, and even here in Seattle, enabled me to surround myself with people I could trust implicitly and explicitly. I never had to question that these people, whom I love, would ever vote to make the lives of gay people anywhere more difficult than they already are. I marginalized straight people, picking and choosing my companions with ease. I was purposefully isolated, and life was good.
Then I had the wonderful fortune to fall in love with the most wonderful man in the world. He is beloved of my friends and welcomed as family, and I've been lucky enough to be welcomed into my DH's family as well. But I find myself in a quandry.
One problem is that I had a community, but there is no real "straight community". The only communities I can recognize are the subcultures by ethnicity, but none seem as cohesive as the gay community. I traveled the world by myself, yet never felt alone because there "family" was everywhere. Now, I don't feel that way - or I do, but I'm not really a part anymore.
Still, I'm meeting people whom I like - a lot - but then I find out that they actively vote to hurt the people I love - MY family. So, what do I do? They're not openly hostile. I don't think any of them would physically attack anyone. Still, it's not very comfortable. I keep thinking about what Dr. King said (paraphrasing) that, in the end, it's not the words of our enemies we'll remember, but the silence of our friends.
All this is coming at a time when my body is going through hostile changes - like it's Icarus and has to get to the sun as fast as possible. Doesn't make it easy to stay sane or rational. Over-reactions are the norm, and I just feel like screaming or crying or both.
This is a whole new world for me. I'm not in my comfy ghetto anymore, and I'm not sure how to live here, but it's my life. I wouldn't trade my love, my life, for anything, so I just have to learn to cope without disappointing Dr. King. I don't want to be a silent friend, but I don't know how to be heard, either. It just makes me so sad.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Jazz Birthday
My DH and I went to Jazz Alley (http://www.jazzalley.com/) on Tuesday to celebrate his birthday. Tuck and Patti (http://www.tuckandpatti.com/) were the headliners, and they are an amazing duo. He's a phenomenon with a guitar, and she's got a voice that melts my heart. It was their rendition of My Romance that I always associate with falling in love with my sweet husband.
I used to see T&P for free when I lived in Berkeley in the late 70's. They would play during happy hour at a bar my friends and I frequented, and I loved them even then. I have to pay more to see them, but they are so very worth it.
Dinner at Jazz Alley is often wonderful, but I didn't order the right thing on Tuesday. They had a special salad - wild salmon over a salad of apples, fennel, and mixed greens with a citrus dressing. Had I made it at home, I'd have seared the salmon to medium rare, and put the warm filet over the top of the dressed salad. What came at the restaurant, though, was a slab of cold salmon over an uninspired salad - no hint of citrus in the dressing. Yuk. I did take the salmon home, since it's in a good state to be used with cream cheese, capers, red onion and bagels...but it was lousy for dinner. What a shame. We each had the soup of the day, which was a vegetarian tomato-basil soup, and we asked for some Parmesan to sprinkle on top. That was quite good. But they changed their by-the-glass pinot grigio, and that was not great. I switched to a pinot noir from California (no Oregon pinot noirs on the wine list - at least by the glass) and it was quite good. So, I didn't have much dinner, but I did have some good wine.
Next week, we're off to San Francisco to see my sister and her family for Thanksgiving. We'll also visit with friends in SF and Sonoma - and I'll get to see my Godmother for the first time in years!
We've got a week already packed with activities, including a celebration for my Mother-in-law's birthday. I just love her, contrary to the standard jokes about MILs, she's the best! We're going to see Australia (the movie, not the country) and I hope we get to the De Young museum and the new Jewish museum in the city. I'll enter updates either while I'm away or as soon as I get back.
I used to see T&P for free when I lived in Berkeley in the late 70's. They would play during happy hour at a bar my friends and I frequented, and I loved them even then. I have to pay more to see them, but they are so very worth it.
Dinner at Jazz Alley is often wonderful, but I didn't order the right thing on Tuesday. They had a special salad - wild salmon over a salad of apples, fennel, and mixed greens with a citrus dressing. Had I made it at home, I'd have seared the salmon to medium rare, and put the warm filet over the top of the dressed salad. What came at the restaurant, though, was a slab of cold salmon over an uninspired salad - no hint of citrus in the dressing. Yuk. I did take the salmon home, since it's in a good state to be used with cream cheese, capers, red onion and bagels...but it was lousy for dinner. What a shame. We each had the soup of the day, which was a vegetarian tomato-basil soup, and we asked for some Parmesan to sprinkle on top. That was quite good. But they changed their by-the-glass pinot grigio, and that was not great. I switched to a pinot noir from California (no Oregon pinot noirs on the wine list - at least by the glass) and it was quite good. So, I didn't have much dinner, but I did have some good wine.
Next week, we're off to San Francisco to see my sister and her family for Thanksgiving. We'll also visit with friends in SF and Sonoma - and I'll get to see my Godmother for the first time in years!
We've got a week already packed with activities, including a celebration for my Mother-in-law's birthday. I just love her, contrary to the standard jokes about MILs, she's the best! We're going to see Australia (the movie, not the country) and I hope we get to the De Young museum and the new Jewish museum in the city. I'll enter updates either while I'm away or as soon as I get back.
Monday, November 17, 2008
License to Kill
Had a fabulous weekend, which included a trip to the Cinerama to see Quantum of Solace. What a blast! It had more of a feeling of the Bourne movies - but Bond wasn't distrusted for too long, so I could handle it. I have a hard time when good people are misunderstood as bad guys, and can only handle it for short periods. Once M was back on Bond's side, the movie just rocked for me. I haven't been this excited about Bond since Sean Connery had the role. Daniel Craig is so very different, but I like that he's more gritty and earthy (while still looking wonderfully hot in a tuxedo). That was just wonderful!
We also went to see The Drowsy Chaperone at the 5th Ave Theater. What a funny, entertaining play! Sorry I didn't get to see it before the end of the run because it would be worth your while to check it out. The staging, acting, singing (except for 1 male lead who was a tad weak in both voice and footwork) were fantastic, and I can understand why it was such a hit on Broadway.
After the play, we strolled down to the Pike Place Market looking for a nosh and a cocktail. We were going to go somewhere on the passport card, but Place Pigalle (http://www.placepigalle-seattle.com/) caught our eye, and that was all she wrote. We read the menu and had to go in and watch the sunset...appetizers led to cocktails... led to dinner...Oh, well. There's nothing like living in denial. Neither of us could afford the extravagance, but neither of us could resist the sheer pleasure of every bite of their exquisite food. A Lillet blanc, roasted beet salad, a pinot noir from the Willamette Valley, a bouliabase filled with fresh seafood - and my DH had the duck that was so tender, he had the leftovers the next day and said that it even seemed MORE tender on Sunday than it was on Saturday night. What a fabulous evening.
Sunday night, I thought we were going to have rabbit, since my DH bought some fresh rabbit at the market, but he planned on taking that to our suburban place to experiment with one of Lidia Bastianich's (http://www.lidiasitaly.com/) recipes from her TV show. So, I threw together a stir fry of fennel, onion, fresh organic carrots, bell pepper and mushrooms, and added chicken in for the protein. If I hadn't had so much wine with dinner, it might have been passable as a diet-friendly meal, but oh, no. I had to overdo. Nothing exceeds like excess, as they say. Oh, well. Today is a new day full of big plans for changing my obcessive behavior one day at a time.
We also went to see The Drowsy Chaperone at the 5th Ave Theater. What a funny, entertaining play! Sorry I didn't get to see it before the end of the run because it would be worth your while to check it out. The staging, acting, singing (except for 1 male lead who was a tad weak in both voice and footwork) were fantastic, and I can understand why it was such a hit on Broadway.
After the play, we strolled down to the Pike Place Market looking for a nosh and a cocktail. We were going to go somewhere on the passport card, but Place Pigalle (http://www.placepigalle-seattle.com/) caught our eye, and that was all she wrote. We read the menu and had to go in and watch the sunset...appetizers led to cocktails... led to dinner...Oh, well. There's nothing like living in denial. Neither of us could afford the extravagance, but neither of us could resist the sheer pleasure of every bite of their exquisite food. A Lillet blanc, roasted beet salad, a pinot noir from the Willamette Valley, a bouliabase filled with fresh seafood - and my DH had the duck that was so tender, he had the leftovers the next day and said that it even seemed MORE tender on Sunday than it was on Saturday night. What a fabulous evening.
Sunday night, I thought we were going to have rabbit, since my DH bought some fresh rabbit at the market, but he planned on taking that to our suburban place to experiment with one of Lidia Bastianich's (http://www.lidiasitaly.com/) recipes from her TV show. So, I threw together a stir fry of fennel, onion, fresh organic carrots, bell pepper and mushrooms, and added chicken in for the protein. If I hadn't had so much wine with dinner, it might have been passable as a diet-friendly meal, but oh, no. I had to overdo. Nothing exceeds like excess, as they say. Oh, well. Today is a new day full of big plans for changing my obcessive behavior one day at a time.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Books, Books and more Books
I seem to be going through an insatiable period of reading right now. I have a very short commute - 2 miles - so it's not like I am doing all this because I need distraction on the bus. I just can't seem to stop - not that I want to, but it makes it hard to keep finding something new to read.
I'm currently reading Robert Crais' Chasing the Darkness. Since my DH, with his amazing baritone, likes to read aloud to me, I was hoping to save that one, but I couldn't wait. If you haven't met Elvis Cole, go to the Seattle Mystery Bookshop (http://www.seattlemystery.com/) and get the first of the Cole series. They have a section devoted to the first book in a series, so you can find a new (hopefully prolific) writer when you need to find something new.
I'm currently reading Robert Crais' Chasing the Darkness. Since my DH, with his amazing baritone, likes to read aloud to me, I was hoping to save that one, but I couldn't wait. If you haven't met Elvis Cole, go to the Seattle Mystery Bookshop (http://www.seattlemystery.com/) and get the first of the Cole series. They have a section devoted to the first book in a series, so you can find a new (hopefully prolific) writer when you need to find something new.
I scored the last time I was there. I found a book containing the first two Nero Wolfe mysteries by Rex Stout. YUM! Archie Goodwin and Nero Wolfe take me to the world of the 30's and 40's that I just adore. The mysteries are very good, and the atmosphere even better. The best part? Rex Stout wrote from the 30's through the 70's! Huzzah! I take breaks to read other things knowing that there'll always be another Nero Wolfe to come home to...well, maybe not "always", but for a long time.
Right now I'm on a mystery break so that I can read Exodus by Leon Uris. I read it back in the 70's, but the movie was on the other day, and there was so much I didn't remember. I work near the library, so I went to their website (http://www.spl.org/) and put a hold on Exodus.
Why go to the website when I work so close to the library itself? It's easier to find a book on line and pick it up from the hold section than to try and find anything in that library. It's a pretty building - don't get me wrong - but you can take the escalator up to the top, but you have to either take the stairs or the elevator down. Yep. That's right. The escalator is a one-way transit option...Also, the "spiral" of which they're so proud makes it possible to head to the 5th floor, arrive at the 5th floor and be told by the librarian that you're on the "wrong 5th floor" for the book you want.
I no longer bother. I login, order up whatever I want, and head over to the library's hold section and easily find my book on the shelves which are organized by lastname - mine. Then I use the self-service checkout, and I'm done. Otherwise, you'd find me wandering around in circles - I mean spirals - trying to find a book in a section I can see - but can't get to without circling the building.
The picture here is the Seattle Public Library downtown. It's supposed to look like a stack of books...
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
South Indian Cooking
When my DH and I were married this past July, our friends - our extended family - gave us a unique and most-cherished present: a day called "Teach the Newlyweds to Cook". These friends are all from India, and they got together, picked some recipes, and walked us through the process of each one. Then - of course! - we ate the results. What an incredible gift - time with people we love, doing something we love, and enjoying the fruits of our labors! My DH took notes, and we savoured the scents and tastes from a world away. It was the most wonderful day we've had in a long time. Loving to cook, as we both do, the day was a perfect way to relax.
Monday I went to my credit union to do the major name-change thing on my day-to-day accounts. I love my credit union (http://www.watermarkcu.org/). They're efficient, friendly, and don't nickel-and-dime me to death with charges for every little thing. They just moved into their new space - a new building right near their old one. I do so much banking remotely, I didn't even realize that they'd moved! Luckily, I walked there, so I was passing the new entrance on my way there.
Tuesday was Veterans' Day, but I haven't gotten my flag, yet. I was at the house in the 'burbs, though, where my DH had put out his flag for the day. Next year, we'll have one at both houses.
I was going to post quotes from Bob Brezny's site on his reaction to the results of the election, but his entire article is worth reading. I highly recommend that you head over there and see his article called "Changing the Way We Change" (http://www.freewillastrology.com/). It's really beautiful, and insightful. We've got work to do, and I hope that we - all of us - are up to it.
Monday I went to my credit union to do the major name-change thing on my day-to-day accounts. I love my credit union (http://www.watermarkcu.org/). They're efficient, friendly, and don't nickel-and-dime me to death with charges for every little thing. They just moved into their new space - a new building right near their old one. I do so much banking remotely, I didn't even realize that they'd moved! Luckily, I walked there, so I was passing the new entrance on my way there.
Tuesday was Veterans' Day, but I haven't gotten my flag, yet. I was at the house in the 'burbs, though, where my DH had put out his flag for the day. Next year, we'll have one at both houses.
I was going to post quotes from Bob Brezny's site on his reaction to the results of the election, but his entire article is worth reading. I highly recommend that you head over there and see his article called "Changing the Way We Change" (http://www.freewillastrology.com/). It's really beautiful, and insightful. We've got work to do, and I hope that we - all of us - are up to it.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Comedy and Dinner
Well, last night certainly made up for the theater disappointment last Sunday. We went to the Moore Theater and saw Ron White doing his latest show. He's filming a new special in Seattle, and this concert is part of that. He was outstanding! His old-style delivery, standing there with his cigar and a scotch just telling stories...wonderful. I'm just sorry it had to be on a Thursday night, because I'm awfully tired this morning!
Before the show we went to the Buenos Aires Grill (http://www.buenosairescuisine.com/). The food was superb! I had the filet mignon with sweet potato fries and grilled veggies. Mark had their Argentinian grill, which is basically a sample of all the meats they roast there. Since we were in an Argentinian restaurant, I had to try an Argentinian wine - it's a rule, right? It was a malbec-syrah, and delightful. My DH liked it, too - always a plus when we like the same wine. We had so many leftovers - there's just so much meat we could eat at one time! I think they have tango dancing some evenings. We'll have to see if we can make a date for one of those nights. This is definitely a restaurant we will want to visit again and again. And, it's on the passport card (http://www.passportunlimited.com/), which gives us a little bit of a break.
Altogether a wonderful evening.
Before the show we went to the Buenos Aires Grill (http://www.buenosairescuisine.com/). The food was superb! I had the filet mignon with sweet potato fries and grilled veggies. Mark had their Argentinian grill, which is basically a sample of all the meats they roast there. Since we were in an Argentinian restaurant, I had to try an Argentinian wine - it's a rule, right? It was a malbec-syrah, and delightful. My DH liked it, too - always a plus when we like the same wine. We had so many leftovers - there's just so much meat we could eat at one time! I think they have tango dancing some evenings. We'll have to see if we can make a date for one of those nights. This is definitely a restaurant we will want to visit again and again. And, it's on the passport card (http://www.passportunlimited.com/), which gives us a little bit of a break.
Altogether a wonderful evening.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
I have a country!
For 8 years I've felt like a resident alien - no connection, no representation, no idea who the rest of the people inhabiting this country were...I finally feel connected. It wasn't just a win for Obama, it was a win for people to whom I can relate.
I'm avoiding the conversation I can overhear, people grousing about Dino Rossi's loss. Too bad! I'm so happy that Chris Gregoire is in office again. I think she's been great for Washington and a real friend when they were few and far between during these past 8 years.
I am now in a situation - I need a flag. My DH always flys a flag at the house, but I've never flown one at the condo in the city because I haven't felt patriotic. I've felt ashamed and embarassed. Now I'm proud and happy and hopeful! I have to go out and find myself a Stars and Stripes.
If only California wasn't so disappointing. How is it possible that even with the governor against it, they voted to ban gay marriage? WTF? Why does anyone who isn't gay CARE whether gay people get married? I just don't understand the social ignorance - but at least it's not in the white house anymore.
Two steps forward, one step back - better than it has been. Time to give prayers of thanks, and prayers for strength to keep going forward.
Interesting coincidence: Today in History is the first day that Susan B. Anthony voted legally. It's also Guy Fawkes Day - memorable to me because V For Vendetta is one of my favorite movies.
I'm avoiding the conversation I can overhear, people grousing about Dino Rossi's loss. Too bad! I'm so happy that Chris Gregoire is in office again. I think she's been great for Washington and a real friend when they were few and far between during these past 8 years.
I am now in a situation - I need a flag. My DH always flys a flag at the house, but I've never flown one at the condo in the city because I haven't felt patriotic. I've felt ashamed and embarassed. Now I'm proud and happy and hopeful! I have to go out and find myself a Stars and Stripes.
If only California wasn't so disappointing. How is it possible that even with the governor against it, they voted to ban gay marriage? WTF? Why does anyone who isn't gay CARE whether gay people get married? I just don't understand the social ignorance - but at least it's not in the white house anymore.
Two steps forward, one step back - better than it has been. Time to give prayers of thanks, and prayers for strength to keep going forward.
Interesting coincidence: Today in History is the first day that Susan B. Anthony voted legally. It's also Guy Fawkes Day - memorable to me because V For Vendetta is one of my favorite movies.
Monday, November 3, 2008
A Swing and a Miss
I think my DH put it best when he described our most recent theater outting as "a swing and a miss". Since we both like silent films, I thought going to The Golem - a 1922 silent film presented by Music of Remembrance (http://www.musicofremembrance.org/) - would be something we'd both enjoy. However, the film was accompanied by several pieces of music that were oddly flawed. The "score" of the film didn't match the film, and the composer either didn't watch the film she was scoring, or had no experience with silent films. The first piece of music - Before the Ark - was very nice, but the second piece was DREADFUL. My DH walked out, and sequestered himself at the far end of Benaroya, since the wailing of the soprano was audible even outside of the small concert hall. Oh, well. We see so much good theater in Seattle, that we're bound to run into a dud once in a while.
After the concert/film, we headed over to The Wild Ginger for a nosh. It is so expensive there, but we sat at the satay bar and had a couple of the specials and some soup. I had a couple of glasses of an Estancia cabernet - yum! So, the evening wasn't an entire loss.
Next up is Ron White at the Moore -- which we refer to as "fire trap theater", since it is in such bad repair -- and dinner at the Buenos Aires Grill. My expectations are high that we'll have a good theater/dinner experience that night! Time will tell...
After the concert/film, we headed over to The Wild Ginger for a nosh. It is so expensive there, but we sat at the satay bar and had a couple of the specials and some soup. I had a couple of glasses of an Estancia cabernet - yum! So, the evening wasn't an entire loss.
Next up is Ron White at the Moore -- which we refer to as "fire trap theater", since it is in such bad repair -- and dinner at the Buenos Aires Grill. My expectations are high that we'll have a good theater/dinner experience that night! Time will tell...
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Cherish each day
If I can't get the image problem fixed -- sometimes they appear and sometimes they don't -- I may have to move my blog. What a drag. Prepping for Halloween, and really want to be able to post pictures of the house, but may not be able to do so.
Still it's important to remember how lucky we are. My DH and I are healthy; we enjoy a good life filled with music, theater and wonderful food; we have plans to meet with friends and relatives we love over the holidays; we want for very little.
This is especially important to remember, since I just found out that a dear friend's sister just passed away from uterine cancer, and Rivka (see my blog list "Coffee and Chemo") just had a test that showed her tumors were more prominent.
Please remember your blessings, and send prayers, or good wishes of health to those who are suffering from illness and loss.
Still it's important to remember how lucky we are. My DH and I are healthy; we enjoy a good life filled with music, theater and wonderful food; we have plans to meet with friends and relatives we love over the holidays; we want for very little.
This is especially important to remember, since I just found out that a dear friend's sister just passed away from uterine cancer, and Rivka (see my blog list "Coffee and Chemo") just had a test that showed her tumors were more prominent.
Please remember your blessings, and send prayers, or good wishes of health to those who are suffering from illness and loss.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Holding my breath
Well, I voted. Walked down to the King County Admin building and put my vote in the box. Now I just have to wait to find out if I have gotten my country back or not.
We're having a big charity blitz at work right now called iCare, but it's for the United Fund, which is national. If I get my country back, I'll contribute, otherwise, my charity dollars stay in Washington. In spite of rossi's hate campaign (lower-case name is purposeful), I still think that enough of Washington realizes how effective and responsible Chris Gregoire has been, so I have more faith in the intellegence of Washingtonians than I do in that of the rest of the country. When it comes to the executive office, I'm still holding my breath.
On a purely bright note, the Seattle Rep is not only offering a pay-what-you-can performance of the wonderful The Three Musketeers on Halloween, but you even get a free drink if you come in costume! If we weren't booked with recreating Snape's classroom, I'd go and see it again! Huzzah!
The picture is of a Tglinkit leader who came on board to talk with us on our cruise. He said that the two white feathers represent coming in peace, but if he came with only one - look out!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
As promised, more dinner and theater
Huzzah! Huzzah! The Three Musketeers at the Seattle Rep was a blast. I love the story, anyway, but they did it in such a delightful, campy way that people in the audience even hissed at the Cardinal at the end of the play. It was so much fun! I'd go again if I had any time to do it. As it is, we're booked.
After the show we went to ROTI (http://www.rotirestaurantseattle.com/). It's a new Indian restaurant (well, new to me) on lower Queen Anne in Seattle, and it was fabulous. I tried some new things, and had Idli (I'm sure I spelled that incorrectly), which was devine! I can highly recommend their vindaloo, their fresh-made naan, and their matar paneer. Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of my favorite dish - the one I ordered, no less. It was B Gorsht, I think. Anyway, it was just the right kind of spicy, interesting and yummy!
Halloween prep is in full swing. I wasn't too much help last weekend. I have a pinched nerve that makes my arm ache, and seems to zap my strength. It was difficult to put my coat on, so you can imagine how hard it was to try and put up decorations. We are doing the garage a la Snape's potion class, with a twist.
We have smoking caldrons, and bookcases filled with jars of strange things (one lights up and has eyeballs that swoosh around), but we also have a mysterious black box with a feather on top. We have Harry's wand, that we'll give the kids to try "Wingardium Leviosa". If the kids are small, we'll raise the feather; if they're old enough, the lid of the box will open and a very scary skeleton bride will pop out (accompanied by a good scream, of course). We have the pully system up, the false walls up, one bookcase set up, and the special box prepped and painted, but there is still a lot to do. As you can tell, Halloween is a big deal for us.
I'm heading over on Thursday night so that I can help with the last minute set-up, and will work from there during the day on Friday. Then, it'll be time to put on the scare, hopefully with some friends who will come to celebrate the beginning of what promises to be an interesting holiday season...
The picture is the topper from my parents' wedding cake, circa 1936. We used it for one of our cakes when we were married this past summer.
After the show we went to ROTI (http://www.rotirestaurantseattle.com/). It's a new Indian restaurant (well, new to me) on lower Queen Anne in Seattle, and it was fabulous. I tried some new things, and had Idli (I'm sure I spelled that incorrectly), which was devine! I can highly recommend their vindaloo, their fresh-made naan, and their matar paneer. Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of my favorite dish - the one I ordered, no less. It was B
Halloween prep is in full swing. I wasn't too much help last weekend. I have a pinched nerve that makes my arm ache, and seems to zap my strength. It was difficult to put my coat on, so you can imagine how hard it was to try and put up decorations. We are doing the garage a la Snape's potion class, with a twist.
We have smoking caldrons, and bookcases filled with jars of strange things (one lights up and has eyeballs that swoosh around), but we also have a mysterious black box with a feather on top. We have Harry's wand, that we'll give the kids to try "Wingardium Leviosa". If the kids are small, we'll raise the feather; if they're old enough, the lid of the box will open and a very scary skeleton bride will pop out (accompanied by a good scream, of course). We have the pully system up, the false walls up, one bookcase set up, and the special box prepped and painted, but there is still a lot to do. As you can tell, Halloween is a big deal for us.
I'm heading over on Thursday night so that I can help with the last minute set-up, and will work from there during the day on Friday. Then, it'll be time to put on the scare, hopefully with some friends who will come to celebrate the beginning of what promises to be an interesting holiday season...
The picture is the topper from my parents' wedding cake, circa 1936. We used it for one of our cakes when we were married this past summer.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Dinner and Theater
I was sick for a solid 5 days, but I want to get this down before I forget.
We went out to one of the FareStart Thursday Night Guest Chef nights. The chef was from Bengodi, and I thought the food was spectacular, and well-portioned. My DH thought everything needed salt, but was pleased, too, I think. I like going to FareStart(http://www.farestart.org/index.html) because I admire their contribution to the community by training people in the food service industry so that they can get jobs and get out of the cycle of homelessness. So it was good for the palate and soul at the same time.
Then we went to see Spring Awakenings at the Paramount Theater. The music had a Rent-like rock-and-roll sound that I liked, but the story was more like a tragic opera - incest, child abuse, a woman who'd rather see her daughter dead than pregnant, forcing her to have an abortion. Sound like a fun night out? It was a very strange experience, but the tickets were partially a donation to the Seattle Mens' Chorus, so I just bought them without researching the play. Not that it would have mattered. I'd have gone anyway. My poor DH! I think he really disliked it.
Sunday we saw some outstanding theater at the Seattle Rep - The Night Watcher. Charlayne Woodard is a marvelous storyteller. I think she gets better with every performance. This is the 3rd or 4th we've seen, and we've loved everything she's done. It's a cohesive performance of a series of stories about the children in her life, though she does not have any children of her own. In the discussion with Charlayne Woodard following the performance, she said that the question of why, even though she has such profound relationships with other children, why she chose not to have any of her own, was very important in the play's development. You can see that thread through the stories, and I think it does enrich the experience of this theater piece. It is one of the best things I've seen this year.
Next theater experience will be The Three Musketeers, also at the Seattle Rep. I love that story, and am looking forward to the show. Dangerous having high expectations, but I just can't help myself! We'll be heading there with friends, and I'm guessing we'll probably head somewhere for dinner, so there'll be more dinner/theater comments coming soon!
This picture is of our hotel in Ptuj, Slovenia.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Play and Procrastination
Saw Ghost Town this weekend and loved it. It was a reward, of sorts, for having at least gotten through all the paperwork that was cluttering my dining room table. I don't know why it's so hard to get things done. I just get overwhelmed and instead of doing a little bit at a time, I end up doing nothing.
I'm having the same problem at work today. I have a problem that I need to work on. The changes I need to make are small, but finding all the places where the changes need to be inserted is like trying trying to clean out and organize my cabinets...I just can't seem to get any momentum. Well, at least there's a deadline - the only antidote I know for procrastination.
The picture here is my kitty, Shaynala. When I get home tonight, she's going to have to submit to some serious brushing!
Monday, September 29, 2008
Plays, Parks, and Restaurants
I had an absolutely fabulous weekend. We went to see the Civic Light Opera's performance of 1776. Since it was at Sand Point, and there was a book sale going on, we managed to do both.
I found a book by Simon Wiesenthal called Max and Helen. It's described as a true love story of Holocaust survivors who asked SW NOT to track down their tormentor. I'm still reading Heck, Where Bad Kids Go, but it's on my list. I also got a copy of Pink Triangle about Gay people sent to concentration camps by the Nazi's. Having just finished Himmler's Jewish Tailor, I guess I'm in a Holocaust frame of mind. We only had 10 minutes at the book sale, so I just got through one small section.
Then we ran over to the theater to see the play. The actor playing John Adams did a wonderful job, but was not the strongest voice in the show. It was only unfortunate during his big solo number toward the end of the play. The rest of the time, he was able to harmonize with the other singers - the women in particular were outstanding.
After the play, we wandered through magnuson park http://www.seattle.gov/parks/magnuson/. That is a gorgeous place - and huge! I had no idea. Years ago, I'd gone to Sand Point for a production of Djinn (Annex Theater http://www.annextheatre.org/) and have been there for special performances like Circus Contraption (http://www.circuscontraption.com/), but I had never wandered the grounds of the park. We followed the sign that said "beach trail", but soon found ourselves lost amid tennis courts, the off-leash dog park...eventually, however, we made it to the beach. The mountain was out in force, and the stunningly beautiful day was even better at the beach. Incredible. It was one of those days when it's easy to remember why we live here.
Since it was Sunday night, which means prepping for work on Monday, we headed home. However, not wanting the magic of the day to end, we stopped at Serafina (http://www.serafinaseattle.com/). I've wanted to go there for some time, but we just haven't fit it in the schedule. Part of the problem is that both my DH and I are trying to lose weight, and it's a real struggle when we go out to fabulous restaurants like this one. My DH ordered a pasta dish that arrived tepid and over-salted, BUT our wonderful waiter and the manager bent over backwards to make it right. My dish was the "fish of the day" - maki shark with a wonderful, light sauce, served over couscous. It was FABULOUS. I had a glass of white wine that was crisp and light. I did eat their wonderful bread, but managed - barely - to resist dessert.Why are things that taste so good so fattening? I think the answer to that question is in the question, unfortunately.
Well, back to work, and back on track. New Year, new beginnings - this year, I'll be better than I was last year...at least, that's the plan.
I found a book by Simon Wiesenthal called Max and Helen. It's described as a true love story of Holocaust survivors who asked SW NOT to track down their tormentor. I'm still reading Heck, Where Bad Kids Go, but it's on my list. I also got a copy of Pink Triangle about Gay people sent to concentration camps by the Nazi's. Having just finished Himmler's Jewish Tailor, I guess I'm in a Holocaust frame of mind. We only had 10 minutes at the book sale, so I just got through one small section.
Then we ran over to the theater to see the play. The actor playing John Adams did a wonderful job, but was not the strongest voice in the show. It was only unfortunate during his big solo number toward the end of the play. The rest of the time, he was able to harmonize with the other singers - the women in particular were outstanding.
After the play, we wandered through magnuson park http://www.seattle.gov/parks/magnuson/. That is a gorgeous place - and huge! I had no idea. Years ago, I'd gone to Sand Point for a production of Djinn (Annex Theater http://www.annextheatre.org/) and have been there for special performances like Circus Contraption (http://www.circuscontraption.com/), but I had never wandered the grounds of the park. We followed the sign that said "beach trail", but soon found ourselves lost amid tennis courts, the off-leash dog park...eventually, however, we made it to the beach. The mountain was out in force, and the stunningly beautiful day was even better at the beach. Incredible. It was one of those days when it's easy to remember why we live here.
Since it was Sunday night, which means prepping for work on Monday, we headed home. However, not wanting the magic of the day to end, we stopped at Serafina (http://www.serafinaseattle.com/). I've wanted to go there for some time, but we just haven't fit it in the schedule. Part of the problem is that both my DH and I are trying to lose weight, and it's a real struggle when we go out to fabulous restaurants like this one. My DH ordered a pasta dish that arrived tepid and over-salted, BUT our wonderful waiter and the manager bent over backwards to make it right. My dish was the "fish of the day" - maki shark with a wonderful, light sauce, served over couscous. It was FABULOUS. I had a glass of white wine that was crisp and light. I did eat their wonderful bread, but managed - barely - to resist dessert.
Well, back to work, and back on track. New Year, new beginnings - this year, I'll be better than I was last year...at least, that's the plan.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Thank goodness for Rob Brezny
My routine on Wednesday is to pop over to freewillastrology.com and see what poet-guru Rob Brezny has to say for the week. He always includes what he calls a "sacred advertisement" at the bottom of his readings. The one I read today is as follows:
Congratulations. Every cell in your perfect animal body is beginning to purr with luminous gratitude for the enormity of the riches you endlessly receive. You are becoming aware that each of your heart's beats originates as a gift of love directly from the Goddess herself. Any residues of hatred that had been tainting your libido are leaving you for good. You are becoming telepathically linked to the world's entire host of secret teachers, pacifist warriors, philosopher clowns, and bodhisattvas disguised as convenience store clerks.
The preceding oracle comes from Rob's book, PRONOIA Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How the Whole World Is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings.
That sounds like something I'm going to need to remember as we are hurled into the election nonsense again this year. It's just not healthy to get so angry, but I want my country back.
There's a great song in the musical 1776 where John Adams wonders aloud "Is anybody there? Does anybody care? Does anybody see what I see?"
So much of that musical resonates with me today. I still remember when my Dad took me to see it in NY. I remember that I thought it was the story of our forefathers, but that was before I realized that this country's forefathers are actually Carnegie, Edison and Rockefeller. The gentlemen philosophers were upstaged by the captains of industry. Somewhere in the last hundred years we lost a war most of us didn't even recognize as happening.
Got hope?
BTW, the picture is from the Rodin Museum in Paris.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Quote of the Day
A perpetual holiday is a good working definition of hell. - George Bernard Shaw
I can't imagine feeling that way - assuming, of course, I could afford a perpetual holiday. It's not that I don't like my job - I do. Well, today is not a great day for any such question, since I'm stuck doing tedious but necessary work instead of "real" engineering work. Still, though, this too will pass and I'll get back to doing the kind of work that provides some satisfaction at the end of the day.
Even with that, though, the idea of a prolonged holiday working on my condo, traveling to Italy, India, Israel and Ireland (do I have a thing for countries with I's?) sounds more like heaven than hell to me. The problem being that I have limited time and funds for such an endeavor, so I work until I can travel, then I work until I can travel again.
The picture here is our bedroom window in the Chianti region of Italy.
Monday, September 22, 2008
My Talented Husband
I've just started posting pictures from our trip to Alaska, but I have to post this one to show the work that my husband does. This is a sun mask that he created for his Mom's birthday a year or so ago. This is actually his second piece. I will get a picture of his first piece - a bear mask - up here eventually, but there's no telling when, since I'm trying to just let myself post whatever I feel like posting at the moment - no plan in sight...at least, for now.
When I first encountered First Nation art, I wasn't a big fan. My art preferences were heavily influenced by Western European prejudices, and it took me a while to warm up to this art form. I'm hooked now, though, and love the work that provides my DH inspiration, as well as the work he produces himself.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Spaced out
One thing I have always loved is the space program. I still remember staying up late with my Mom to watch the astronauts land on the moon. Tonight, instead of doing a myriad of things I should be doing here - cleaning, organizing, etc. - I'm watching "In the Shadow of the Moon". I just can't get enough of this stuff. Apollo 13 and The Dish are two of my favorite movies with what I call "high MVP" (multiple-viewing potential).
I just have enough time to watch it again if I end this quickly, so here's one more picture from Alaska.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Blog post number one...
My DH gave me a great camera a few years ago, but it turned out to be a little more complex than my point-and-shoot attention span was able to handle. Still, I keep trying, and I have finally gotten a connector that makes it easy to get pictures off the camera and onto my computer, so I'll be uploading photos over time. This is just the first post, but I expect the blog to serve for a place to vent about good and bad service, wonderful and terrible theater and dining experiences, culinary and gardening experiments, and trip pictures. I've been talking about blogging forever. Finally, I'm here.
Here's a picture from our latest trip on a cruise to Alaska.
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