Author: Rachel

C&I invited us over for Easter Brunch. As I snapped this picture, Miss N here goes for it.

Tonight, we journeyed to the Eastside for a combo game-night/book club at Phil’s house in Redmond. This month, we discussed Suite Française by Irène Némirovsky. The book begins as many are fleeing Paris in the early stages of World War II. The author died in Auschwitz, so the book is unfinished.

Slow in parts, but overall: highly recommended book. Game night also went well — I saw a number of friends, some I hadn’t seen in months.

Weeks back, I discovered Mad Men. We don’t subscribe to cable since we’d rather have TV cater to our schedule rather than cater to theirs at $100/month. The downside is that you miss out on awesome shows as they happen, but the upside to media these days is that we can get the greatest stuff on DVD at our whim. Works nicely. This finally made it to the top of my Netflix queue.

Mad Men is now the latest show that we really really love. Set in 1960-62, at an advertising agency in NYC. On our flight back from New Orleans, Mr. T got into it. Tonight after I was a good girl and did my “homework,” I watched some of this disc (again) and we started on Season 2. Highly recommended show for the storylines, the art direction, and the characters.

I’m unaware of this torte’s official name, but I’m calling it Hazelnut Chocolate Torte. Another from Monday night’s gathering, saved for a happy late afternoon treat today. Also from a lovely bakery in West Seattle – Bakery Nouveau.

Winter was pretty harsh on my favorite terra cotta container that houses our French Thyme. It was very decorative, very French, but now sits in shambles at the edge of our deck where I moved it before the snows to shelter it with the roof overhang.

The gray returned. Spring sure was nice this year…on the bright side, I had lunch with my old colleague Randy. We sat in the big windows at Lucky Pho and were joined part way through by Stacey, a current colleague, and her husband.

This is the well-worn path the Baron takes to circumnavigate the yard on his patrol, several times a day. Now that it’s less miserable outside, all of the yard & gardening needs are coming into focus…

My friend Traca invited me to a gathering held at Stumptown tonight. Her idea: bring a dish that means something to you. I brought something my mother made for years for social gatherings: Dee’s Cheese Ball. It looks like a perfectly classic midwestern potluck dish, with minor updates here and there for the Southern palate. I found myself thinking about it a few weeks ago, and Traca’s invite offered the perfect chance to recreate.

As I was rushing from work to the gathering, I neglected to take a picture of my offering in its pecan-domed glory. But, here’s a treated scored for take-home after most of the guests left, brought by someone who works at this bakery.

We brunched with Celeste & Ian in Ballard and later spent most of the afternoon around the house. I took advantage of the beautiful weather & fully enjoyed it.

Later, I ran 9 miles. A simple & great day, overall.

I don’t know about you, but this week’s only reinforced that it’s been A LONG WINTER. Even if I hadn’t felt that way until March.

Fortunately the sun came out late afternoon, giving hope. Also in time to help us get geared up to head out to celebrate a friend’s birthday in Belltown.

With the immediate needs handled, we’re getting back into it.

The Baron has turned on sullen mode for the last two days since we’ve been back. I figure he’s either displeased with the weather or misses his lady-friend he stayed with during our trip to New Orleans. I bet they shared a plate of spaghetti.

The strangely cold wet snap is sapping desires to photograph. You know, I have a feeling it’s been dragging me all month as I have a disproportionate number of phone pictures. Nevertheless, we’ll move right along…

I get cranky about April Fool’s Day, annually. I brace myself, even ponder avoiding Internetland save for Google’s main prank. Today I just kept running across things here and there that made me laugh. My favorite: the BBC’s 1957 Swiss Spaghetti Harvest. I may have to revise my stance.

Around 3 PM, I was talking to my old pal Tucker about Puerto Vallarta & noticed this cake. It seemed evenly frosted but I thought “red flag! It’s April 1!” So we continued to chitchat and someone came along wanting to try it. Turns out it was a tarted-up box that the knife couldn’t pierce. I laughed anyway. When I left later, I laughed again and realized it merited a memory of the day.

We are back from another trip to visit the home state! Current goal is to post two a day — one from the current day, one from a prior week — for the next week. The week looks to be a busy one, though, so who knows.

This is a phone-cam drive-by from our first stop at Cafe du Monde.

Mr. T’s grandpa is visiting again. We went out with his parents, grandpa, aunt and cousin to the Steelhead Diner in Pike Place Market. His cousin ordered this while I got decent gumbo followed by spicy salmon followed by a light Theo Chocolate Mousse, as part of the Dine Around Seattle special they have right now. Fantastic evening.

Busy day, but found out in the early evening that I wouldn’t be on call overnight. Relief. I went to pick up Mr. T later in Fremont and noticed the progress on upcoming Homegrown. It’s next door to Lucky Pho and in the old Steve’s Fremont News which closed several years ago.

They are not open yet, but I’m looking forward to it:

As demonstrated by yesterday’s gentle reminder, I’m surrounded by sick folks. In the morning I felt plague-ish, so Mr. T and I headed to Lucky Pho for an antidote.

This is the veggie pho with tofu.

Most of my colleagues have been knocked out by a dreaded illness. It’s been a bit lonely this week, but I had a solid laugh when I spotted this outside our floor’s loo.

Editor’s Note: I’m a few days behind in posting. Will catch up by end of week.

This group spent hours in the Rock Garden mid-afternoon with umbrellas and cameras and whatnot. Turns out they were in the midst of a photo shoot. I learned that hours later; I’d figured Spring was here and with that, tourists with cameras by the canal. People from around here don’t generally sport umbrellas.

Vanessa hosted book club this month at her Alki place. It’s the first time I remember being on Alki in the light of day in months — her neighbor displays this distinctive blue bottle bouquet out front.

Tonight’s discussion was The Watchmen.

Near the corner of 36th and Phinney, we found these two dogs. Ian joined me for a quick walk around Fremont, to break up the afternoon. Discovered three new places beyond my usual zone, including a taco truck & a soup house. Saints & Sinners will also be arriving soon.

Much later, Mr. T & I joined up with his colleagues for a moving-to-Zurich Redux. Elysian Brewing Co for a Hot Babe sandwich & divine Steak Frites, then the Satellite for awkward standing around, then Barrio for the capper.