THANK YOU!

Ack, I had no idea how thankful I would be to see Sandy, Tammie (and Leslye - a rock, a pillar, an angel!). Back on American soil (I sound like a jingoist). But I am SO thankful to have them all back here in the same country I'm in. And to get to drink beers and process.

(Kelly + Sandy)

"We are lost in space..."

ohmigawd! it's just so tasty. i can't get enough of pike street fish fry. yum. here's a pic of our octopus, oysters (2x) and fries. and lots of yummy sauces.

"a seven nation army couldn't hold her back!"

Yea! Amy and I finally got to hang out for a nice extended happy hour. For those of you who don't know Amy (and all straight, eligible men should!), we were high school prom dates. This is her (reddened) at Smith. Where we got to drink Rainier tall boys. Amy and I used to go the Rainier Brewery on the weekends to take the tour (not unlike Laverne and Shirley) and then you could go to the Mountaineer Room and enjoy three of the freshest Rainiers you could imagine! Those were some golden days for both of us in our Seattle yearbook. We were also neighbors (she lived across the hall) -- and that was as fun as you can imagine.

"I'd like to be under the sea..."

I left my house this morning and it felt downright balmy. Didn't think to look ahead a few steps to check for rain. As I crested (18th/Madison, by the Trader Joes), it just started pouring buckets. At a certain point, I realized that I could take the bus (too many people!), take a taxi (too much $$) or just keep on walking. I put on Octopus's Garden and just enjoyed the underwater adventure. But when I showed up at work, I looked like this...

"You make me feel mighty real!"

After the joy of eating fish fry, we wanted more beers. So we ended up at The Cuff. And somehow, we ended up dancing. I haven't danced in years and years. They were playing all the disco classics. Last night, I wanted it to be 1975, and I wanted to be 25 and dancing in NYC!

Fish Fry = DELICIOUS!

It's RARE when a restaurant lives up to its hype. But MH's latest place is just about perfect. Jeffry and I stopped by for a little PSFF and it was delicious. Jeff had the oysters, I had the halibut, MH threw in the octopus. While we there, the Berrys stopped by, Linda & Sterling and friends stopped by, and it just felt great. It's my new favorite place. YUMMY.

'Nuff said"

'Nuff said. I actually liked it cause I thought of chub as in chubby. But apparently, the 'real' meaning is the other chub.

Pupusa Party

Jose with a platter of homemade pupusas. There has been a lot of talk about this pupusa party happening for several months. Last night -- with the false promise of Wendy -- we all met up and finally actualized on it.

YUM. I woke up craving a pupusa. Not that I didn't eat enough last night.

"Swing, swing out loud..."

I've been taking a lot of photos of people's feet lately. It started accidentally (learning to use my new camera). But then I realized I like them. There's something sweet about them.

Here are my feet, on a swing set, in Madrona, at night.

"Take the long way home..."

So I left Brad and Steve's and swung by the Madrona Mkt to get my curry chicken salad (they were out!) via the park and by Cupcake Royale. I walked down 34th and took some shortcuts on the way home. I ended up walking by this big greenspace -- with a path. So I wandered through the path and took photos. It's really just an empty lot with grass and a couple of trees. But at night, unexpectedly, it felt like a secret forest in the middle of the city.

Sweet Wm. Grose -- who are you and why is there a park named after you? A quick Google search later and we find out he was an early prominent African-American Seattleite.

"Nobody does it better..."

Hometown girl makes good. And by good, I mean...

...good cupcakes.

Here's to you, JH.

"I met a bear..."

Yes, I know this picture is a few years old, but I just found it and love it. I still remember that day in my old apartment when I heard a ruckus on the patio and went out to see what was happening! Luckily I had my camera and snapped this picture.

Nearly the same thing happened to my dad in Montana years ago. He just got home from dinner and was taking a leak before he went inside. He heard a rustling in the tree beside him and looked up to see a bear!

Brian Murphy and I have gotten a lot of use out of this bear suit. I made them for Jeffry and myself one year for a Halloween party. I remember (in addition to almost passing out from the heat) people kept saying "I get it -- Bears as BEARS." Uh, yeah -- you totally figured that one out.

"This is our world..."

My mom and my sister were here last night. Oh, don't worry -- I've seen Sylvia twice -- and by twice, I mean -- in person.

Tastes great...

I was walking home after an extended happy hour and stopped by my favorite convenience store -- the Shell on Madison. Tommy is usually working, and damn -- I love him, his wife and their baby. To be a convenience store manager takes a very special breed. And he is a stallion of c-store managers. :)

I walk in and get, "JOE!" (so Cheers and so appreciated). I make my way for the back cooler to grab my usual and -BAM - am confronted with an all blue Pabst can. Don't understand for a second and then see that it's Pabst Light. I'm a SUCKER for marketing (ask anyone) and HAVE to buy it. I bring it up to the counter and am like, 'UH? What? Pabst can get lighter??' To which Tommy said, 'Only if it's water'.

Seriously -- has anyone seen this before? Tommy said he misordered it, but I'm in awe. (And not bad -- as far as cheap beers in a can go.)

"what about love?!"

The end of era (there have been a few...) -- tonight was the final night of ANTM at Brad & Steve's. I've been lucky to attend periodically during the past couple of years.

It was esp. fun because Arno was in town from SF.

After dinner, we had cookies. Brad totally found the "lucky 3-layer" Nutter Butter. He could've totally sold that on ebay.

Dave was there too, but not ready for his close-up.

Making a list...

Any "Fun List" that begins with "1) Two legged dog" is my idea of a good fun list!

For the record, Faith is one beautiful 2 legged dog.

"Under the Sycamore Tree"

While walking home tonight, I took random photos. This one looked kind of Twin Peaks-y to me.

"Harry, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. Every day, once a day, give yourself a present. Don't plan it, don't wait for it, just… let it happen."

- Agent Cooper -

"Not mad, just sad."

Well, don't be sad -- if you just can't get enough of my amateur pics, you can always find more here.

My friend Amy (who I ran into Saturday in Ballard and then Sunday on 15th -- I LOVE doubleshots of random goodness) also has a pic of this on her flickr.

Hold an old friend's hand...

I woke up in a terrible mood. Background processed my usual problems all night and woke up sad.

As I walked to work (basically 1/2 block off MLK and 1/2 from Elliott Bay), I listened to my "sad" mix. Right as Sia "Breathe Me" came on, someone snuck up behind me and put their hand in mind.

I turned around to see this BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL face. I almost started crying. I've been RIDICUOUSLY happy of late and all I want to do is hold hands with my friends and run and jump! It's totally Sesame Street and related to my childhood. In this sweet world, it's still rare to get exactly what you need -- I'm SO lucky to have a friend like l'il JBear that happened to be walking the same route, at the same time and snuck her little hand into mine.

It reminds me of the AA Milne quote: "Pooh?" "Yes, Piglet." "Nothing, I just wanted to be sure of you." and then the illustration is of them holding hands.

And of course, it further reminds me of "Beautiful People" by Melanie. Her line about "We got so much in common -- you go the same direction that I do." As I walk the same 2.5 miles each morning and evening, I see the same people and you totally start to form these tiny relationships with them. Humans...we're so odd.

The boys are back in town...

Uh oh, must be Spring Thaw time again.

It was CROWDED last night.

TIGER tiger (your own worst enemy)

Okay, making this book was awesome. These are my new favorite things. A book a day.

one pot

Monica Dimas (soon to be cooking at Pike Street Fish Fry) with Eric and Whitney R. outside of Caffe Vita. Michael hosted a one pot tonight that included a cupping, a slideshow (including Brian's photos), dinner and coffee ceremony.

There were also live elephants, fire dancers and bears on bicycles in silky hot pants.

Quite a show.

Beautiful People!

Someone asked me what my beautiful people button was for. I made them because I love the idea and spirit of Melanie's song of the same title. I made 100 of them and gave to friends and strangers in hopes that if I ever saw them wearing them, I'd know that they're a beautiful person too.

Beautiful people

You look like friends of mine

And it's about time

That someone said it here and now

I make a vow that some time, somehow

I'll have a meeting

Invite ev'ryone you know

I'll pass out buttons to

The ones who come to show

Beautiful people

Never have to be alone

'Cause there'll always be someone

With the same button on as you

- Melanie Safka -

You are the sunshine of my life!

I know that this isn't earth shattering -- but my gawd, it's SO WELCOME!

In all my years here in Seattle (12 winters), this one has been hands down the most miserable for me. I'm not sure if it was any worse than the others. In fact, it might just be because I worked at the front desk at the YMCA and so everyone who came in also complained about it. So it's not like I just thought, "Sheesh, the weather sucks!" It's that practically every other person who came in from the cold also bitterly complained. So by the 20th person, my response is, "I KNOW - WHAT IS UP WITH THIS CRAP??!??"

But I do think it was just more than that. As I've been walking most places, I'm really more aware of the weather. And it's just odd to start out with sun, then hit rain, then get snow -- all within an hour's walk. I should say it would be odd anywhere else -- but not in Seattle.

I don't know where I'd go to (Austin? New Orleans? Maui?) but I don't think I can do one more winter here!!

But for now, I'm just REALLY REALLY happy that today will be 72 (which happens to be my favorite number).

Stevie Wonder all day long.

Going to the Chapel

After work, my co-workers (who are also friends) and I headed up to The Chapel for some celebratory drinks. I might have drank a bit too much -- but it's awfully hard to say no to those drinks -- esp. if someone else is buying.

THANKS ALL for coming out on a school night. I had a great time. And now that I have a normal schedule, let's meet up more often!

Y-M-C-A!

It REALLY has been fun staying at the YMCA!

I have the best co-workers -- I'm really sad.

"Huh? What?!"

Jeffry's been taking a lot of random photos lately.

This one is funny.

Josiah McElheny’s Lecture

A really interesting lecture. I haven't been to one of the Henry's lecture before and it was packed! I went with Yann and Dave and then went to bed early.

ZZZ

Art Walk!

Wow! There were some great openings last night. I met up with my friend Amy W. to do a little art-walking!

My favorites though were Justin Gibbens (and Amy Ross, too). (Photo via Punch Gallery)

And Jeffrey Simmons. (Image via Greg Kucera Gallery)

Congrats to James Harris Gallery -- a really great show and space.

People are strange...

Sheesh -- why are some people so horrible at being human. To all of you who actively work to create joy/good/happiness in this world -- namaste!

To those of you who don't -- well, dang it -- I wish you would.

Pac-Man Fever!

Here's a pic of me with Lisa! I've been randomly running into folks a lot lately and I love it!

Here's a picture of Lisa and Julie.

CONGRATS!!!!

Yea! I got to talk my one my oldest, dearest, closest friends in the world, Dolan Lane! He took the head chef position at clark:lewis. I simply couldn't be happier. Dolan is one of the most fun and most dear people in my life -- even though I'm awful at letting him know.

I knew something was up energy-wise. Since January 1st, I've read an amazing book about Lewis and Clark and have also done a mini-series of paintings around them.