For those of you who know my love of Carolyn's Cafe, the quest has been on since I got here to find a suitable substitute.
The first week I was up here I found a place only a block away that touted the best hollandaise in existence. I tried it. They lied. I won't be going back. Besides, they don't carry Dr. Pepper and the service just wasn't friendly. I know...I can't hold everyone to the same level of friendliness and service as Carolyn's, but c'mon--could you at least smile?
I tried a different place the following weekend and it was ok. The service was fine. The food was pretty good. I might go back. We'll see.
There is a place that I went to on one of my trips up here during the past couple of years called the Buzz Inn. It's pretty good. The people are nice and the food is pretty good. It's a bit of a drive to the closest one--not like the mile to Carolyn's from my last place of residence. I won't go to the Buzz Inn every weekend like I did Carolyn's, but I'll probably go back again. At some point.
Suffice it to say, the quest continues.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Miscellaneous thoughts
A friend of mine sent me a text and asked, "What have you gone to see?"
My response: "So far, a couple of parks, some good restaurants, an art fair, and IKEA."
I've now visited IKEA twice. Pretty sure it'll be several more times before this is all said and done. I gotta work on this guest room...
My response: "So far, a couple of parks, some good restaurants, an art fair, and IKEA."
I've now visited IKEA twice. Pretty sure it'll be several more times before this is all said and done. I gotta work on this guest room...
More weekend stuff
So, my idea about this blog was to tell stories and show pictures of some of the things I get to do now that I've moved up here. The apartment is great, the job is great, and as I've told numerous friends over my lifetime, I work to live--I don't live to work. That's not to say that my job is not important, and I am THRILLED to have a job that enabled me to move up here, but when it boils right down to it, it's about the weekends. Right? (My friend Joel will argue this with me, but I think he's beginning to learn.)
The weekend of the 20th I joined my friends Lisa, Linda, and Alicia (Lisa's niece--still in town) for a visit to an art show -- Fresh Paint: Festival of Artists at Work -- at the Port of Everett Marina. Following that, we drove through the city in search of some of the pianos that were located on the streets for a thing called "Street Tunes". Here are some pictures from that day...
Yes, this one is in honor of my little Ted whose little head I miss terribly. By the way, if he's making money on Teddy's bags, where is it??!?
The weekend of the 20th I joined my friends Lisa, Linda, and Alicia (Lisa's niece--still in town) for a visit to an art show -- Fresh Paint: Festival of Artists at Work -- at the Port of Everett Marina. Following that, we drove through the city in search of some of the pianos that were located on the streets for a thing called "Street Tunes". Here are some pictures from that day...
Yes, this one is in honor of my little Ted whose little head I miss terribly. By the way, if he's making money on Teddy's bags, where is it??!?
The Job
I started the new job on the 16th of August. It was the start of the new pay period, so it made sense to do it that way. I am located on the University of Washington campus. I took some pictures from my desk with my phone camera. From the 18th floor.
I am the Data Manager for an organization that specializes in research and strategy for improving child welfare. I'm working with a great bunch of people and having a good time doing it. And the view isn't half bad either, eh?
I am the Data Manager for an organization that specializes in research and strategy for improving child welfare. I'm working with a great bunch of people and having a good time doing it. And the view isn't half bad either, eh?
The first weekend
Nicole and I took a break from unpacking on the Monday before I started work and went for a drive. She was really terrific about showing me the main streets and educating me on how the numbers work, which is pretty straightforward--and also which streets change names at which point and get me where I want to go. I'm getting used to the NW/NE/SW/SE designations and I'm getting pretty good at finding my way home. Probably the most important thing to know.
We drove around the Greenlake area, had a late lunch at Duke's Chowder House, but before that we went to a park along the beach--I'm pretty sure it's called Golden Gardens. I took some pictures.
As you can see (for you naysayers and bah-humbug-it-rains-all-the-time-in-Seattle folks), it was a beautiful day!
We drove around the Greenlake area, had a late lunch at Duke's Chowder House, but before that we went to a park along the beach--I'm pretty sure it's called Golden Gardens. I took some pictures.
As you can see (for you naysayers and bah-humbug-it-rains-all-the-time-in-Seattle folks), it was a beautiful day!
The Apartment
So you may or may not know...
I procured the apartment sight unseen. Since I only had a few weeks to make a decision and find someplace to land once I got here, I pretty much went with the first place that was willing to not only return my e-mails and/or phone calls, but actually offer up an apartment to rent. I had worked with a relocation service to provide me with about a dozen places to call. Finally worked it out with a place called Willows Court in the Lake City section of Seattle.
I wanted a 2 bedroom place (so my friends can come visit :-) ), and I had a price range in mind. So I put a deposit down on a 2 bedroom-2 bath place but didn't have time to get up and check it out before moving in.
I signed the lease and got the keys on August 10th. The pods with all my stuff were delivered around 11:00. I had some friends help me unload, and it was all done within a couple of hours.
Floorplan:
And here is a picture of the living room that first day or so:
And the guest room:
And of course, that crazy iFish:
I've made quite a bit of progress since that first day, but there is still more to do. I promise it will all be in good shape by the time any of my friends come to visit. There is still a matter of a guest bed, but I'm sure that will be worked out soon!
I procured the apartment sight unseen. Since I only had a few weeks to make a decision and find someplace to land once I got here, I pretty much went with the first place that was willing to not only return my e-mails and/or phone calls, but actually offer up an apartment to rent. I had worked with a relocation service to provide me with about a dozen places to call. Finally worked it out with a place called Willows Court in the Lake City section of Seattle.
I wanted a 2 bedroom place (so my friends can come visit :-) ), and I had a price range in mind. So I put a deposit down on a 2 bedroom-2 bath place but didn't have time to get up and check it out before moving in.
I signed the lease and got the keys on August 10th. The pods with all my stuff were delivered around 11:00. I had some friends help me unload, and it was all done within a couple of hours.
Floorplan:
And here is a picture of the living room that first day or so:
And the guest room:
And of course, that crazy iFish:
I've made quite a bit of progress since that first day, but there is still more to do. I promise it will all be in good shape by the time any of my friends come to visit. There is still a matter of a guest bed, but I'm sure that will be worked out soon!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
The Kitties
Lots of folks have been asking how the kitties fared on the trip. Followed closely by "how did the humans handle the kitties on the trip"?
Just a little back story...
For those of you who have never met my kitties, I have 2 of them. George and Louise. Once upon a time it was Thelma and Louise, but Thelma went missing (a very very sad day), and it was decided that Louise needed a new playmate. By that time we had started calling Louise "weezy", so it made sense that the new pairing, together, would become George and Weezy. (I can't help but think if we'd called her Weezer instead, that George might have been Shelby or M'lin. But I digress). So I now have 2 cats.
The thing about these silly children is that when someone comes to visit, George is the friendly one. She typically comes running to see who is visiting and looks at it as an opportunity to convince someone to pet her. Louise runs and hides. I've always tended to believe that Louise is the one who is more high-strung and that George is the easy going one. I suppose I should have known better when the Vet had me retrieve George out of her cage the day she went in for her check-up. Apparently there is a note on George's file as well; a warning to handle with extreme care. I guess it should have been my warning.
So the plan for the cats was to put each of them in their respective crate for the trip. The vet recommended that they stay in a small, confined space--they would be happier that way. When I got them into the car on Sunday morning, they both cried a little. George's cry can be better described as a yowl. And we quickly discovered that she is not inclined to stop yowling as quickly as Louise. Eventually they both settled down, with occasional outbursts from George. And a funny thing happened. Louise turned into this little zen-kitty. She would fall asleep, chill out, look out her crate, and purr when we talked to her. (Maybe it was the Skyy?) George just talked (yowled) back. And clawed at her crate as if she could somehow escape her Alcatraz-like conditions.
The original plan was that at night, in the hotel rooms, we would set up a larger cage and put them both in it with food and water. When we got to Williams the first night, we set up the cage and after giving each cat an opportunity to use the litter box in the bathroom, put them both in the cage. That didn't work so well. They started hissing and kitty boxing, which was slightly amusing, but not a good long term plan. So the pattern eventually became George staying in the cage and Louise sleeping in the larger of the 2 crates.
The second day and night went about the same as the first. I will say that by the time we got to the third hotel on Tuesday night, both of the cats seemed to know the drill.
So when people ask how it went with the kitties, I can honestly say it went well. Lisa and Alicia were an incredible help in getting them out of the car, into the hotel each night, set up with their cage, fed, watered, and settled. And then packed up and back out each morning. I am so thankful they were along for the ride! No one needed tranquilizers either. Not even the humans.
Just a little back story...
For those of you who have never met my kitties, I have 2 of them. George and Louise. Once upon a time it was Thelma and Louise, but Thelma went missing (a very very sad day), and it was decided that Louise needed a new playmate. By that time we had started calling Louise "weezy", so it made sense that the new pairing, together, would become George and Weezy. (I can't help but think if we'd called her Weezer instead, that George might have been Shelby or M'lin. But I digress). So I now have 2 cats.
The thing about these silly children is that when someone comes to visit, George is the friendly one. She typically comes running to see who is visiting and looks at it as an opportunity to convince someone to pet her. Louise runs and hides. I've always tended to believe that Louise is the one who is more high-strung and that George is the easy going one. I suppose I should have known better when the Vet had me retrieve George out of her cage the day she went in for her check-up. Apparently there is a note on George's file as well; a warning to handle with extreme care. I guess it should have been my warning.
This is Louise before the trip. I think perhaps she's been hitting the bottle in preparation...
So the plan for the cats was to put each of them in their respective crate for the trip. The vet recommended that they stay in a small, confined space--they would be happier that way. When I got them into the car on Sunday morning, they both cried a little. George's cry can be better described as a yowl. And we quickly discovered that she is not inclined to stop yowling as quickly as Louise. Eventually they both settled down, with occasional outbursts from George. And a funny thing happened. Louise turned into this little zen-kitty. She would fall asleep, chill out, look out her crate, and purr when we talked to her. (Maybe it was the Skyy?) George just talked (yowled) back. And clawed at her crate as if she could somehow escape her Alcatraz-like conditions.
The original plan was that at night, in the hotel rooms, we would set up a larger cage and put them both in it with food and water. When we got to Williams the first night, we set up the cage and after giving each cat an opportunity to use the litter box in the bathroom, put them both in the cage. That didn't work so well. They started hissing and kitty boxing, which was slightly amusing, but not a good long term plan. So the pattern eventually became George staying in the cage and Louise sleeping in the larger of the 2 crates.
This is George being tormented by the iFish.
It looks like they are kissing, but I'm pretty sure George wanted to bite the fish's head off.
And maybe mine too.
The second day and night went about the same as the first. I will say that by the time we got to the third hotel on Tuesday night, both of the cats seemed to know the drill.
So when people ask how it went with the kitties, I can honestly say it went well. Lisa and Alicia were an incredible help in getting them out of the car, into the hotel each night, set up with their cage, fed, watered, and settled. And then packed up and back out each morning. I am so thankful they were along for the ride! No one needed tranquilizers either. Not even the humans.
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