Chinook Pass

Last night on the news, our local TV weather guy stood at Stevens Pass in the dark, a wet snow sticking to his hat. He gave the usual advice – carry chains, snacks and water, blankets or sleeping bags – if you’re crossing the passes because if you get stuck, you may be cold and …


…read more.

Fish Wednesday: Prawn Pad Thai Take III Edition

Fish sauce is unpleasant stuff, smelly and weird, but without it, you can’t really get the right flavor to your home made Thai or Vietnamese food. We bought one bottle of the stuff which we threw out immediately upon opening it – it was beyond weird and smelly, it was downright nasty and there was …


…read more.

East of the Cascade Eats

Dakota Cafe, Ellensburg: A bright deli in the middle of downtown across the street from the museum. Fresh sandwiches with yummy garlic dills, coffee and treats. Sports Center Bar and Grill: You can’t miss the hunter in his safety gear firing neon shots into the night. A freindly bar with a long copper counter. Supririsingly …


…read more.

Passports with Purpose

On Monday night, I headed back up to my ex-neighborhood to attend Blogsgiving, a Seattle area bloggers’ fundraiser for Northwest Harvest. Prepared to drop in and flee – my usual reaction to a room full of mostly strangers – I ended up staying for a couple of hours while talking about photography, neighborhood blogging, publishing, …


…read more.

Seeking a Different Sky

Sometimes the fall sky gets so heavy in Seattle. It drops low, a big gray blanket that covers everything and drags your spirits down. We had four days of miserable weather, cold and wet and dismal. Every afternoon last week I’d wander into the kitchen around four muttering. “What the hell? Why is it so …


…read more.

Accidental Guests at Ping Chow’s Birthday Party

Ping Chow set a bottle of red wine on our table. He smiled broadly and nodded at us. “Happy Birthday!” we all said, reaching across the table to shake his 94 year old hand. Our friend N. kissed him on the cheek and Mr. Chow brightened up. “You see why my mother told him ‘No …


…read more.