I'M IN LOVE!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE! The Beatles sing "All you need is love", people say "Love makes the world go round", and "Love lifts you up on angles wings".... today I am in love with life. Yesterday (Tuesday) I was kind of upset about lots of little things, which is annoying and not typically like me. But today felt so wonderful and I just kept thinking how much I loved what I was doing. I know love is a strong word, but all day I've felt like standing on a roof top and yelling I LOVE IT! for the world. 


The day starting with my group fitness class at 6am. I had my normal 4 people and we had a rocking work out. As I was leaving the gym, my friend who works the front desk mentioned she was looking up recipes. I asked if anything was good for a breakfast idea. She was actually looking up a chocolate pancake recipe. Sold! I stopped by the grocery store on the way home and then made the batter. It turned out a bit thick, but I had a few great pancakes and put the dough in the fridge to deal with later. Did I mention I had strawberries with these pancakes? :)


I did not finish cooking all the dough for two reasons: 1) it was kind of thick for pancakes and 2) I volunteer at a retirement home on Wednesday mornings and if I had cooked it all I would have been late. So, off to the retirement home I went. I teach a strength & sculpt class there and it is so fun. The people are what make that experience the best. I really enjoy working with the seniors; they are so sweet and brighten my day. I know I am volunteering to make their experience better as they age (fitness and such), but really I think they are making my life more meaningful. They have done such cool things in their lives and every time I leave the retirement home I am just smiling and feel so peaceful and in love with life. It is awesome. Such a gift that I get to work with them.


I came home and did some stuff on my to do list, that wasn't very interesting but it needed to be done. Once I had about half of it completed I called my friend Stephanie who just moved to Capitol Hill to see what she was up to. She was also done with her check list, so we decided to adventure!


I drove over to her house. Capitol Hill is so cute and full of life! Young people are everywhere and the houses (although tightly spaced) are adorable. Not to mention it is like one mile from my work.... I want to move there. I kept having this though over and over the whole time hanging out with her. I enjoy where I am living now, but I want to move to Capitol Hill when my lease is up! 


We walked in the rain up Broadway and to Volunteer Park. We both are California kids but we decide a little rain will no longer stop us, since we are in Seattle after all! The houses near the park are GORGEOUS! Wow! What estates. The park had all sorts of fun things in it. A water tower with an observation deck. Fun signs to read. A sculpture, Black Sun, that frames the Space Needle. And a conservatory with flowers and plants! Beautiful. It was a great afternoon with friends. Pictures can explain it better, so see below! 

CasKat....we miss you Ken!

It is currently Sunday morning and I just finished coffee and a doughnut in what is feeling like my second family's home in Washington. My wonderful friend Cassie and her sister Lisa came home from Fresno State for the Mariners opening game on Friday. Cassie's blog from the game I am so happy their family loves baseball enough to make a weekend of it! This meant for me that I got to hang out with their family!! YA! I drove down to their house Saturday afternoon for an adventure! We love adventures and luckily her parents do too!

Adventurers are even better when food is involved. Toscanos was the destination. Toscanos Website. This seems like a new restaurant that her mom found in a magazine; it had good reviews and has cooking classes so it needed to be evaluated by us. We hoped into the car and drove away with empty tummies and hopeful expectations. The restaurant looks really new and had a cute Italian ambiance. We got a table near big windows and then opened the menus. My oh my, EVERYTHING looked yummy. The waitress was patient with us as we took perhaps a record length of time to decide what we each wanted. I changed my mind three times, which as discussed with Cassie's dad is like changing answers on a scantron and is usually not a good idea, but I was very happy with my result. I settled on a two pesto pasta with chicken and spinach noodles! When the food came we all were silent. It was so good. Lots of sampling and yummmm sounds.  

Starting with a Blue Cheese Salad.

Halibut with a strawberry sauce & pretty zucchini

Rosemary Chicken

Two Pesto Pasta

Fillet Mignon with amazing potatoes

The presentation was fantastic, ambiance great, food was delicious, and company fantastic. We looked at the dessert menu for probably 20 minutes and then decided to go for it! Cassie and I split a Creme Brulee! The last one we had split was on top of the space needle and we unanimously agreed this one was better! Her mom got a cheesecake and Lisa got a brownie! The waitress had told us the portions were big on dessert...haha she was not kidding but we did not really listen, perhaps on purpose. :) With full and happy stomachs we headed back to their house. It was still light outside at 8pm which means summer is on the way!

The happy eaters!

Back at Cassie's house we all got into the hot tub. I think a hot tub should definitely be high on the priority list for the next place I  live. So relaxing to sit and talk, look out over the lake and watch the Mariners game through the glass doors.

This morning we were greeted with doughnuts and Starbucks. Cassie and I are both blogging; reminiscent of our joint blogging in Europe. Here is the link to Cassie's blog from our adventures. Cassie's blog I will sadly head back up to Seattle this afternoon and she will have more family time then go back to Fresno tomorrow. At least I am consoled that her parents live here so I know she will come back to Washington frequently and I will visit them all again soon. :)

I'm a pirate in the sun on a sailboat!

SUNSHINEEEEEEEE. Yum. Sunshine is yummy. I know that might sound funny; but after having clouds and rain for at least two weeks straight, sunshine is amazing. (I have just been corrected, so I am editing this blog..Friday was the first day is 42 days that it has not rained!) Friday it was sunny. I rode my bike to work which felt so nice. I have not become a hard-core Eco-conscience Seattlite yet, I only ride my bike in good weather. Someday I will toughen up and brave the rain on my bike, but I'm not quite ready for that yet.

I spent a good part of my work day looking out the window and smiling at the sunshine. The sunshine was also the topic of the day at work. haha It is funny what a little sun does for all of us. People talking about golfing, weekend plans, and just counting down the hours till the end of the day when we would get to be outside in it.

My day ended nice and early at 3:30! That is the awesome part about starting work early! When the day ended I hoped on my bike and pedaled as fast as I could to the UW boat house! I was going sailing with sister Sarah, Frank, and Wendy! I sadly delayed my arrival a bit by biking the wrong direction (the longer way) around the Husky Stadium, but I finally made it! The shipmates were all there already and as soon as I climbed on board away we went!

Frank has been taking sailing classes. This was my first trip out with him. We motored with the sails down out into Lake Washington. We were near the 520 bridge and all I could think was hmmm I am so glad I do not have to commute over that bridge. :) A quick weather update: IT WAS SUNNY! And we could feel the warmth of the sun on our faces.

The downside here was there seemed to be a lack of wind. We got the sails up and slowly started drifting north in the lake. We decided it was snack time and Sarah mentioned she had two bananas. Wendy, who has experience sailing in her younger years, exclaimed that it is bad luck to bring a banana on a sail boat! Oh no! Perhaps this is why we had no wind? So the bananas were eaten....

And then we had wind!! ha! Then we were sailing for real; exciting that we were sailing but the temperature dropped so we all added hats & more coats! We headed towards Kirkland and then decided it was time to go back. I got to steer some on the way back!

We got back to the dock around 8pm, packed up all the sails, and then biked home. It was a marvelous afternoon! I can't wait to do it again.

A view of the husky stadium from Lake Washington.

Saturday morning I got to see my sister again! We decided to go on a shopping trip; it was an epic trip. We were gone for hours! We thought that if we bought bathing suits then maybe summer weather would come. So we accomplished the first step in that logic. We got swimsuits...ok summer....we are ready!



The trip was complete with a stop at Rising Sun fruit stand on 65th & 15th. If you live in Seattle and you have never been here, oh my gosh! You must go! The food looks so much better than the grocery store and the prices are phenomenal! Yummy fresh fruits and veggies in hand we felt accomplished and successful! The first half of my weekend was over and I was now headed south towards Lakewood for the next half of the weekend. :)

This Old House

We have a family joke; that whenever we see a house that needs a lot of work we say our Aunt and Uncle would buy it. And when I say a house that needs a lot of work, I mean a LOT of work! Usually the houses that earn this comment have boards on windows, are missing some sort of a roof, or other major improvements needed. I shouldn't have been too surprised when my dad called me the other day to say that his brother bought a "real fixer upper". 

We decided to have a family work party for all of us living in WA. I say party because it isn't a family gathering without food. After a tour of the house we decided the most sanitary place for the food was on the beautiful front porch. So the chips, soup on a camp stove, salad, and beer was kept out front. We ate first and then decided we would work for a few hours then take a walk.

Their new house was built in 1906. Luckily the roof was redone recently and a new furnace has been installed. So the outside of the house is pretty good (well after they got the foundation leveled last week, there were 4 inches of difference before that!!). 

"Potential" seemed like the most common word of the day! It is going to be a beautiful home and it even comes with a view of Lake Washington and on a clear day the Cascades. The entire inside of the house needs updating: walls re-plastered, the floors refinished, walls repainted, bathrooms redone, and kitchen entirely replaced. =) I forgot to include all new electric wiring in that list and plumbing!

Here are some pics, as they say a picture is worth a thousand words!

The outside of the house! With the beautiful front porch. It looks great from out here. :) Lets explore inside.
 a view of Lake Washington from the back porch.

 Goodbye plaster on the wall...

 Brothers, hard at work! =)

 My Aunt attacking the bathroom tile.

 The kitchen with half the cupboards removed! PROGRESS!

 Sister and I working!

 Mom at the beginning of the kitchen demolition.

 The family room and entry room.

I am excited to see the progress of this house in the next year! It was a fun day with family and we got lots accomplished. Till next time!

Oh, Canada!

It has felt like spring this past week! Wondering around Seattle I was comfortable in a light jacket and at one point short sleeves! Such a refreshing feel and a glimmer of hope that warmer weather is approaching. Winter does not last forever!!! With these glorious sunny blue skied days I ventured up to Bellingham to hang out with my parents for a few nights. I arrived Thursday night and am heading back to Seattle today. I convinced them we should go on an adventure Friday! So off to Canada we went!

Friday morning the weather was looking a bit gray, but we were amped up and ready to go explore so we headed north. About 20 minutes later we were in Canada. ha. I guess they really do live close to the boarder. Vancouver BC was our goal for the day and about 40 minutes later we were there. We tossed the idea of a big hike since the weather was less than stellar. Feeling a bit rain shy, we drove through downtown, china town, and the gas works district. Stopping now and then, but mostly just sight seeing from inside the energy efficient Prius. Our main goal was to explore Stanley Park. This park is the 3rd largest urban park in NORTH AMERICA! It is on a peninsula with views of downtown and the whole city.

Armed with our raincoats and map we started at the first parking lot and explored. There is a marvelous path right along the water the entire circumference of the park; perfect for walking and biking. We wondered out to the lighthouse first, it is on the edge of a huge ship canal. Watching the big boats and little tug boats is fun. There is also a point called Hallelujah point where the salvation army used to sing songs and from downtown Vancouver they could hear the clear singing of "hallelujah, hallelujah." Impressive Totem Poles stand majestically in this same area. The detail is incredible!

 Totem Poles!

 My parents have become huge birders in the last 2 months....I don't know what species this duck is, but they can! :)

 Canada flag at Prospect Point

Next off we explored the forest interior and walked around Beaver Lake. The rain stopped and the sun was trying to shine so we were enthused and  ready to go!  We explored prospect point, the big beaches on the ocean side of the peninsula, and walked out to see Siwash Rock. 

 Siwash Rock

According to Indian legend Siwash Rock stands 50 feet tall separated from the coast because of a young mans unselfishness. The hero's story is better told here, 

http://www.stanleyparkecology.ca/news/library/faq/faq_sirk.htm

 Canadian Convention Center

This post is going to be cut short because today's adventures are begging me to begin! The trip back across the boarder took a bit longer. Dinner was enjoyed at a thai restaurant in Blaine overlooking the bay. We finished our day of exploring by driving through Birch Bay as the sun was starting to set. This is truly beautiful country up here in the northwest. I feel so lucky to call the pacific northwest my new home and I can't wait to keep exploring it!

Yummmm

I am a fitness professional. Fitness is my passion; I love it, crave it, and want to share it with as many people as possible. That said, today's post is about food again. =)


The goal for the afternoon was stuffed bell peppers. I like bell peppers a lot, but usually when I eat them it consists of slicing them down the middle, ripping the two halves apart, tearing out the seeds, cutting them into strips, and eating them like carrots. Raw and crunchy, minimal mess and highly functional. I saw this recipe and decided maybe it was time to take my bell peppers skills to the next level.
http://www.greedygourmet.com/2009/10/02/bell-peppers-stuffed-with-couscous-pine-nuts-and-raisins/

So I did. Oh it was difficult to seed them with out breaking and the number of dishes I got dirty was sort of ridiculous. (I also made cookies today so that added to the dish stack!) These bad boys have couscous, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pine nuts, craisins, and sauted red onion in them. YUMMMMMMM. Well worth the dishes to wash! The recipe said to only fill them 3/4 full because the couscous would expand during baking, but from my picture I think I could have filled them a bit fuller.

The flavors interplayed so wonderfully. The bell pepper became this edible container of goodness holding the pine nuts and couscous which tasted hearty and brought an element of umami, the craisns and  onion were sweet and delicious. Yum. 

I am looking forward to leftovers at lunch tomorrow. =)

Food & Taize

Food & Taize worship, both feed the soul and I experienced both today. :) 


Let's start with food. My friend Chad is a great cook and I was overjoyed when he introduced me to www.foodgawker.com! Yum! Talk about a website that makes you hungry. It is a photo display of many different recipes and after your eyes have feasted on the goodness then you can find the recipes to recreate these delicious treats! I decided I was due for an interesting dinner, used this site as inspiration, and was quite happy with the results. Here's the plan:
http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/2010/06/chicken-breasts-with-tomatoes.html

Here were my results:

My sister joined me for dinner and from the smiles and "yums" I think I did pretty good. I don't quite have the photo skills for food journaling yet (or the exquisite presentation skills of the first picture), but YUM! Can't wait for my next dinner. :)

My sister and I then headed to a Taize worship service.  A Taize service is a time for pray, mediation, and singing. We walked into this old brick building with views of downtown Seattle glistening in the background. The church interior had a few people, many candles, and one harp filing the space with sounds. The singing, music, atmosphere, and emotion that came to me reminded me of the church services I attended in Europe. In Europe I felt a presence that I can't quiet explain in those grand huge cathedrals with Latin singing. I felt that peace and presence tonight during the songs and meditation. Thank you.

photo from Regensburg, Germany, Europe Trip 2010

Movie from Florence, Italy Europe Trip 2010 >>to be added later, upload was not working

Da Paceum ... in diebus. <3

Grant us your peace, O Lord.