Fish Wednesday: Salmon, Swiss Chard, and Sparrows Edition

We have sparrow issues. The little brown birds have found my Swiss chard and they will not get out of it. It’s like a salad bar to them. Do they care if I chase them off? No. Do they care if I am sitting right there? No?  They give me the stink eye and then, …


…read more.

Book Review: The Ridiculous Race

Disclaimer: As you probably guessed, Holt sent me this book. Steve Hely and Vali Chandrasekaran have a crazy idea. They are going to race each other around the world, one going east, the other west, and whoever makes it first wins a very expensive bottle of scotch. Oh, part of the challenge? No airplanes. They …


…read more.

Travelbloggers at BlogHer

This coming weekend is the BlogHer conference, a huge gathering of women (and yes, some guys) with opinions and Internet connectivity. About a month back – I think it was a month back – I’d finally made up my mind not to attend. There are a bunch of small complicated reasons – my dislike of large crowds, a program that doesn’t resonate with me, too much girly girl stuff on the edges. That’s all my point of view, your mileage/interpretation may vary and all that.

The bigger reasons, the ones that ultimately kept me from booking a flight were simple. The only travel event on the schedule is a 40 minute meet-up. Combine that with a price tag of about 800 dollars. That’s with my contributing editor pass – those who write for the site get to attend the conference for free. A nice perk, truly, given the 300+ fee. I have, without hesitation, ADORED (in all caps) meeting my fellow travelbloggers, but I think you understand that 800 dollars to hang out with you for 40 minutes is a little steep.


…read more.

Fish Wednesday: Basil & Orange Halibut

Don’t pay extra for halibut fillets; fish is expensive enough as it is. If you cook it properly the fish comes right off the bone, it’s super moist and delicious, you won’t miss the fancy cut. Marinate the steaks for as long as you feel like – mine sat for about an hour. Brush the …


…read more.

Gear I Love: Merino Wool Clothes by Ibex

Disclaimer: Ibex sent me some stuff. It’s not the first time – I test drove some wool gear a few years back when I was still writing for Snowshoe Magazine.

I’m going to sound like a shill and for that, I’m sorry, but I hope you trust I won’t steer you wrong. The truth is, I love the clothing Ibex makes – it’s warm, super lightweight, feels great against your skin, and holds up for a good long time. I have a set of their merino wool long underwear that I always pack when I’m traveling (unless, like a dork, I forget, subsequently freezing my ass off in Hanoi) – though sometimes, I wear that stuff on the plane, even. That should answer any questions about how their fabric feels next to your skin – if I can stand to wear it for a long haul flight, well, that nails it.


…read more.

The Perfect Northwest Wedding

I confess, I don’t much care for weddings. Given the opportunity, I will try to talk just about anyone out of it. I don’t think much of the bridal industrial complex, a pantheon of evil designed to get you to spend gajillion dollars on “your big day” just as you’re starting your lives together. I …


…read more.